Percy Jackson and Andromeda's Lament
by Andro-with-an-O
Summary: What's a guy to do when he's haunted by dreams of a mysterious, violet-eyed girl who he doesn't know? Then there's his sexy principal who seems to have the hots for him and the supreme being who has taken an interest. Of course there's also this really long quest involving mythylogical gods, demons, angels, aliens and other weird stuff. Eventually GamerPercy! Crossovers!
1. Prologue

Percy Jackson and Andromeda's Lament

A.N.

This is my first fanfic. I appreciate reviews, constructive criticism and flames, but please be gentle. English is not my first language so please bear with any mistakes in using the English language and any geographical mistakes.

I don't own Percy Jackson.

Now, on with the story.

* * *

Prologue

She was close. She could see the hill, a few hundred meters away. Sighing in relief, she picked up speed, sprinting towards her goal as fast as she could.

The girl, around 12 years old, had her long black hair trailing behind her as she ran towards her destination, her salvation. Her skin was pale making her dark hair and violet eyes stand out even more. She was reasonably tall for her age, at around 5'4. Her clothes were unkempt and ripped in some places, slash marks from blades or claws visible on the fabric.

She was out of breath when she noticed a storm was brewing in the distance. It was getting closer.

Lightning flashed and the girl immediately dived to the ground. Lightning struck the place she was at milliseconds before.

She scrambled to her feet and glared at the sky. Thunder rumbled menacingly in reply.

She continued to glare at the sky before the sound of marching caught her attention. She looked back, alarm carefully hidden behind indifference, and saw the army of monsters, Cyclopes, Dracaena, Stymphalian Birds and even a Manticore, closing in.

The girl turned her back to the venerable army and continued to sprint in the direction of the hill. She managed to reach the foot of the hill before the first of the monsters caught up with her.

It was the Manticore, although it looked to still be a juvenile. Still running at full tilt, she drew the dagger strapped to her back hip, turned on a dime, and slashed at the monster, creating a gash on the beast's flank.

She kicked the beast away from her. The girl then sheathed her blade, and started the climb up the hill.

The sound of her panting filled the air as she continued to flee the monsters in pursuit of her. She did not dare look back, keeping her eyes in front, willing herself to move faster. To reach the safety of her goal. She heard the deep war cry of a Cyclopes and knew that the monsters were gaining on her.

She ran and she sprinted, out of breath, the only thing keeping her going was the thought of how close she was to her goal.

She reached the crest of the hill and saw her destination for the first time and she forgot everything for a moment. A large building painted red was the first thing she saw. It was around four stories tall, and the only thing she could think was 'Big House.' Then she glimpsed an orange light coming from a campfire and a smile appeared on her face. She could see kids singing, laughing and having overall fun. This was it. This was her goal. Camp. Home.

A loud growl wiped the smile right off. She turned and what she saw got through her carefully crafted mask of indifference, fear and dread bleeding through.

The monsters had caught up to her.

The first to get to her was a Cyclopes, 11 feet tall, muscle bound, and wielding a large tree like a club. The giant's one eye was glaring menacingly at her.

The monster roared and swung his tree at the girl.

She ducked the blow, turned, and started to run again towards Camp, but lightning once again flashed, and right in front of her eyes, the lightning struck the ground in front of her. Flames, hotter than what was possible, started to spread. The grass, once a beautiful and green, became food for the flames, making them even hotter, higher and impossible to pass through.

The Camp was protected from the monsters, separated by the flames. The problem was, she was on the wrong side of the divide.

She spared a moment to look to the heavens, glare, and curse at Zeus before the monsters were once again upon her.

The dagger on her back hip was drawn once more, and another, hidden in an ankle sheath, was drawn. Preparing herself for her last stand, she took her stance, lowering her body, raising both her arms, blades in an ice pick grip.

The Cyclops from before, being the closest to her, was once again the first to reach her. The giant bellowed, and raised his club aiming to pummel her to the ground. She sidestepped the blow, and with her off-hand, sliced the giant's tendons in the wrists making the Cyclops drop his club and bellow in pain.

Successfully disarming her opponent, she slid under the beast, arms stretched to either side, and passed each blade through the monster's knees.

The Cyclops fell and was then vulnerable to the girl's daggers. With a stab, the Cyclops was dissolving to dust with a dagger straight through the eye to the brain.

Smiling to herself in triumph, the girl looked around for another way through the fire. Looking around at her surroundings, her smile faded as she noticed that she was surrounded, the fire on one side of her and an army of monsters on the other. The army had caught up.

Her determination steeling, the girl twirled her daggers, and prepared herself for another fight, one where the odds were stacked against her.

"Bring it on." She said under her breath, but the monsters seemed to hear her as they charged.

From the left, a dracanae slashed at her with a sword. She parried the blow with her left dagger, then sensing an incoming attack from behind her, threw her right-handed weapon in the air, grabbed the serpent-woman's sword arm with her right hand and threw her weight into a spin pulling the monster along by the arm. Demigod and monster ended up switching places, causing the Cyclops's club attack to hit the wrong target.

As the girl caught her thrown blade, the dracanae dissolved to dust, revealing the stunned expression of the Cyclops. Chuckling at the Cyclops's ridiculous expression, the girl took the opportunity of the giant being stunned and low to the ground because of the momentum of its strike, to kick the giant in the face, sending it reeling then stabbing the giant in the chest, killing it.

Then seeing another attack, this time coming from the air and from the right courtesy of a Stymphalian bird and a Manticore spine respectively, the girl bent backwards, hands and feet planted firmly on the ground making a bridge, and kicked the killer bird away with an overhead kick while dodging the spine, and gaining distance between her and the monsters in front of her.

Landing on her feet once again, the girl slashed to her left on instinct, and lo and behold, a dracanae, ready to slash her to bits, received a sliced throat for her trouble.

The girl fought bravely, dodging the Cyclopes' clubs, parrying the dracanae's weapons, keeping watch on the skies and killing the monsters when possible. She was skilled, even at a young age and without proper training, relying on her quick reflexes, flexibility and speed.

Still, the sheer number of monsters caused her to have bruises from constant diving to the ground and rubble constantly being sent flying by the Cyclopes, and cuts from barely dodged blades to sprout on her person.

Meanwhile, the Manticore prowled around the battlefield, looking for an opening. The great beast was patient, eyes searching for any opportunities, tail ready to shoot spines at any moment.

Dodging another overhead strike from a Cyclops, the girl chanced a glance at the raging flames, hoping beyond hope, that someone from Camp noticed the commotion and that help was coming. Someone was bound to notice the flames, right?

Seeing its chance, the Manticore sent a volley of poisoned spines at the girl, before leaping in to join the fight.

The demigod was cursing herself for not focusing on a life and death situation. She dodged most of the spines, but one of them hit its mark, and her right arm had gone numb. She parried another enemy slash with her left dagger, before executing a counterattack with the hilt of her blade.

A Cyclops tried to sneak a club strike at her during her counterattack, aiming straight for her head. The girl dodged the strike, but stumbled, feeling her head spin from the Manticore poison.

Regaining her balance, the girl stepped back, drawing the Cyclops closer, before rushing in suddenly, catching the giant of guard and, seeing as she couldn't move one of her arms, threw one of her daggers at the single eye of the monster.

She was still holding up, even with one arm numb and her head spinning, when the Manticore pounced on her from behind her, catching her off-guard.

'This is it.' the girl thought, closing her eyes. 'I'm gonna die.'

Just as she accepted her Fate, a bright light shone from underneath her body, still pinned beneath a snarling Manticore. The light grew brighter and brighter until it blinded the monster army, making even the Manticore get off the girl and back away. Then, with a gasp, the girl snapped her eyes open, and the light suddenly turned into pure darkness. Darkness so deep that even the bright flames were not enough to see.

The darkness started devouring all the monsters in sight. In a matter of moments, the army became dust, scattering in the wind. The fire had finally gone out, consumed by the darkness. Silence fell on the night, leaving the girl still on the ground, breathing softly.

Pain was wracking her body, but she couldn't even whimper. She was exhausted. She wasn't this tired even after all the running she had to do to get here, but that darkness seemed to have sapped all of her energy.

Then, a disembodied voice broke the silence.

"Not yet girl. Your Fate is not to die today."

Then she started sinking, as if being swallowed by the earth. The earth, to her, was welcoming, like coming home.

With a pop, the girl was gone, fully submerged underground. A silver ring, with an amethyst gemstone in the middle, surrounded by small obsidian crystals appeared at the place where she sank.

"You are useful, but you are not the one, Andromeda Jackson."

The girl disappeared then, not only from the realm of the physical, but also from the memories of anything or anyone, mortal or godly.


	2. The Trouble with Dreams

Percy Jackson and Andromeda's Lament

A.N.

This is my first fanfic. I appreciate reviews, constructive criticism and flames, but please be gentle. English is not my first language so please bear with any mistakes in using the English language and any geographical mistakes.

More A.N. at the end.

I don't own Percy Jackson.

Now, on with the story.

* * *

Chapter 1: The Trouble with Dreams

 _14 years later…_

"And that is how the six siblings, led by Zeus, defeated their father Kronos and spent the rest of eternity ruling over the world"

Those were the first words that Percy heard as he started to gain consciousness from his unplanned slumber. His arms were on his desk, his head planted firmly between them, napping shamelessly in the middle of class.

"Good nap, Mr Jackson?" The Latin teacher, Mr Brunner questioned, eyes twinkling in amusement. Percy, just coming back from a great nap on his desk, smiled sleepily and answered.

"It was nice."

Percy gave the teacher a cheeky grin and Brunner, utterly amused by the boy's audacity, started chuckling softly to himself. Percy, thanking his luck at having such a cool teacher, chuckled along. That is, until, the Latin teacher stopped and started to ask him questions, an amused glint never leaving his eyes.

"Then, Mr Jackson" The wheel-chair bound teacher began, his enthusiastic voice and small smirk giving Percy a feeling of dread. "Tell me, why is it important that we learn about the Greek myths?"

Percy thought about it, then not coming up with a good answer, started looking around the classroom. He caught the eyes of Grover, his best friend, and gave the boy a glance that screamed 'help'.

Grover shrugged in response making Percy sigh "I-um… because it's important… to learn about the past... and the Myths… are tied to history?" He finished uncertainly.

Mr Brunner nodded, seemingly agreeing with Percy's answer and the boy sighed in relief. He saw Grover discreetly give him a thumbs up. He gave the boy a smile in thanks. At least he got it right.

"And why is it important to learn about the past?"

The smile dropped off his face. Percy gave it another thought before giving up and replying. "I don't know sir."

It was Brunner's turn to sigh. "Alright then. At least you understand that the past IS important, but I expect more, Mr Jackson."

The bell rang, signalling the end of class.

The teacher hurriedly turned to the whole class. "Your assignment, an essay on the importance of studying the Greek and Roman Myths."

With that, the Latin class was over.

* * *

Grover was putting his things away when Percy arrived at his seat. "Hey, G-man. Why didn't you wake me up?" Percy said in fake indignation. "I could've avoided all those questions."

Grover was a curly-headed boy who needed crutches and, for some reason, always wore a beanie on his head, even in their shared dorm room. He was in the same grade as him, but Percy was sure he was held back a few grades. No 6th grader had acne and the start of a beard on his chin.

"I tried to." Grover defended himself. "You just wouldn't wake up. Then Brunner arrived and started class, so I just let you sleep. Besides, you seemed like you needed it. Still can't sleep?"

Percy shook his head in the negative. It had been happening for a while now, but ever since the Christmas break he had trouble sleeping. He could get to sleep easily enough. The problem was staying asleep. There was one dream that he had every night without fail. And every night he woke up because of that dream getting at most only 3 hours of rest. He always forgot the dream after he wakes but he could still remember feeling the sadness and the loss caused by the dream.

Remembering his sleepless nights thanks to Grover's inquiries, he suddenly felt tired and weary. He slumped on Grover's desk, thankfully now void of Grover's stuff. Giving into his heavy eyelids, he closed his eyes and sighed in relief.

Grover looked over at Percy worriedly. Grover knew what his friend was, and having dreams that affected him so much meant that soon Percy would know what he was too. Time was running out.

"Go back to the room Percy. You look like hell." Grover tried to convince the tired boy. "We have that field trip tomorrow and that should be tiring enough as it is without you looking like you're about to collapse with exhaustion."

Percy nodded tiredly and made to get up when Nancy Bobofit, the redheaded, orange-freckled, kleptomaniac bully started teasing them.

"Percy! You look like hell!" She said in a voice so worried and sweet that it was obvious it was fake. "Was Grover too rough last night? Can you walk? You had fun at least, didn't you?" She was mocking him and dragging Grover in as well.

Angry at what was being implied about him and Grover, Percy started to get up off of the desk, growling. He took three steps towards the offending girl before he stumbled and had to hold onto Grover lest he fall to the ground.

Nancy seeing Grover holding Percy started another round of teasing causing Percy to turn red in embarrassment and anger.

He made to move towards Nancy again when Grover pulled him away from the girl and urged him to let it go. "She's not worth it, Percy. Just go to bed, I'll catch up with you later."

Percy wasn't about to just let it go, but he agreed with Grover. After all, he couldn't do anything about it right now, not with his head spinning and his body so heavy. So with a nod, Percy moved away from Grover and left the classroom amidst the laughter and jeering of their classmates, vowing to make Nancy pay.

* * *

Percy trudged through the campus, heading towards the dorm room he shared with Grover. It was still early, being late afternoon, but he was going to bed already. He was so tired. He felt like he was being weighed down, and every step he took rattled his bones. His vision was spinning and his head was pounding, slowing him down even more.

At times, when the dizziness was especially bad, Percy though he could see flashes of lightning, or hear thunder rumbling. Sometimes, he could even hear someone panting for breath like they had been running for hours or the sound of a giant bellowing. It was just him, of course, because when he looked out the window, the skies were clear and the sun was shining and no one was running. Obviously, there weren't any giants.

What should have been a 5 minute walk took Percy almost half an hour. He had to stop a few times to regain his breath, or to lean on the nearby walls for support while waiting for the dizziness to recede.

He just wanted to go to bed and rest.

Finally, in what he felt was like forever, he arrived at the door of the dorm. His vision was now getting worse, and he saw double. He groped for the doorknob, and once gripping it, opened the door. He headed for his side of the room.

He didn't even bother changing his clothes and fell on the bed, shoes and all. He was asleep in seconds. Before he lost consciousness, he swore he saw violet eyes looking intently at him.

* * *

Grover was worried. Percy had been weird since the dreams started. He, of course, knew why Percy was having dreams. He was a satyr after all, and Percy, a demigod. At first, he chalked up the dreams to the regular demigod dreams that he knew the half-bloods had.

It had been months though, and the dreams still persisted. Percy still couldn't sleep properly.

Furthermore, what really worried Grover were the emotions he was picking up from Percy after the dreams. Satyrs could sense the emotions of demigods and mortals, and Percy was feeling immense pain and loss after each dream.

When Grover asked Percy about the dreams, the demigod merely shrugged him off saying that it was nothing. Obviously it wasn't, but Grover couldn't push Percy without telling him about himself, and about the boy's heritage. So Grover did the best he could to be the friend that he knew Percy needed, even if the boy didn't even know that he needed one. He tried to be supportive without prying.

Today though was different. Percy was fine earlier today, even managing to showcase his cheekiness during class. After class though, Percy was looked like the undead. His usually tan skin was pale and clammy, his normally shiny black hair looked dull and his vibrant sea-green eyes were blank. When he was walking back to the room, Grover was ready to catch the weakened boy, expecting him to fall at any moment. Usually, Percy was one of the most energetic guys Grover had seen, even for a demigod.

He knew that something was wrong. Demigod dreams didn't affect demigods this much, especially one that feels as powerful as Percy.

So this is why Grover found himself knocking on the door of the Latin teacher's office. He heard shuffling from inside the room and waited patiently for Mr Brunner to let him in.

The door opened, revealing the wheel-bound form of the Latin teacher, an inviting smile present on his face.

"Ah, Grover, my boy. What is it? Is there a problem?"

"We need to talk about Percy."

Brunner frowned. The reason he went to this school was Percy. "Let's talk inside." Brunner rolled his wheelchair into the room, facing the sitting area. This was a talk between friends, as such, using the desk would have been in poor taste.

He gestured Grover to the armchair, who promptly sat down while thanking him.

Brunner raised an eyebrow at this. Grover was usually a nervous person. This Grover had a sense of purpose that raised alarms in Brunner's mind.

"Coffee, Grover? Or maybe Tea?" Brunner offered, then added "Or maybe some tin cans? I've been piling up quite a bit since your last visit."

Grover declined the offer, raising even more alarms. Grover never refused tin cans. Mr Brunner tensed, sensing that Grover was seriously worried about Percy. Over what, Brunner was about to find out.

He started to get up off his chair, standing for the first time in a long time. He stretched out his front legs, his large body sliding off the trans-dimensional chair, and with a soft pop, his full horse body came out. He stood to his full height, towering over the sitting satyr, and waited for the boy to start.

* * *

The satyr was trying to find the words to explain the situation to his mentor. Of course, not knowing the contents of the dream, Percy claiming that even he doesn't remember them, he would have to start with his own worries.

"Percy has been having dreams, sir." Grover started "It's been going on for months, and it's really taking a toll on him. You should've seen him, sir, after you left. He was walking funny, clutching his arm like it hurt and stumbling all over the place."

He then proceeded to enumerate the physical effects. The clammy skin, the bags under the eyes, the dull hair and the blank eyes. After a bit of thought, Grover added.

"Actually, it was like he was poisoned, but that's impossible! He doesn't even know what he is."

Chiron stroked his beard, thinking about the symptoms that Grover claimed Percy was showing. He wouldn't go as far as saying that the boy was poisoned, though some poisons do cause the same symptoms, diluted Manticore venom coming to mind, but the state of his health, if Grover is to be believed which he absolutely did, means that something is affecting him.

"It seems like this all started because of the dreams" The centaur commented. He let Grover think about his words while he mused on his own thoughts.

Demigod dreams, unlike mortal dreams, have meaning. They could be messages, warnings of danger, or for the exceptional demigod, glimpses to the past and to the future. What this might mean for Percy could be anybody's guess.

The ancient trainer felt that Percy would be a strong demigod. Even untrained, he was showing promise. However, something had always felt different about the boy. It was like his scent was muddled, smelling strongly of one scent that he was almost positive on the identity of the boy's father, but sometimes, another scent wafts through making him rethink everything he knew about the boy.

Whatever is happening right now, they needed to be ready. The plan to wait until the summer seems like it needed some adjustment. His gaze shifted to the ballpoint pen sitting in a cup on his desk. Grover, noticing the change, followed the man's gaze and widened his eyes.

"I think, my boy, that it is time."

* * *

While the satyr and the centaur were conversing, Percy was dreaming. Recently, he had been having the same dream over and over, and this was no exception.

He was always aware that he was dreaming. In the dreams, he didn't have a body. He was just there, seeing, smelling and hearing. This was the part that he always remembers. The darkness, just before the dream starts. It was because of the darkness that Percy knew that he kept having the same dream. Everything after the darkness Percy forgot when he woke up.

Slowly, the dream started up and a scene formed.

Somehow, he knew the dream always started happy. It was of a family, a woman, a man, and a little girl, walking down the street holding hands the sun setting behind them and the moon starting to rise.

The girl was around 4 years old, wearing a beautiful deep red dress and black flats. She was pretty, her pale skin and dark hair complementing each other nicely. Her hair was long but with some parts of it braided with ribbons, so he wasn't sure of the length. Her face had an aristocratic air to it with her symmetrical features and high cheekbones. She had the most beautiful eyes Percy had seen. It had a deep violet colour, reminiscent of amethyst gemstones.

The man was clearly the girl's father. He had the same dark hair and pale skin that the girl had as well as he aristocratic features. His eyes were dark and looked like they held a great deal of pain and sadness, but at that moment, they were filled with joy. He was watching the girl with interest, and it was clear that he loved her very much.

To Percy, the biggest surprise was the woman. He knew who it was. She had dark brown hair and light blue eyes. Her smile could make anyone's day and Percy could tell that from experience. The woman was non-other than his mother, who at present time was already in her mid-40s but in the dream looked like she was 20.

This made Percy wonder who the man and the girl was. He and his mother lived with a bastard of a man named Gabe Ugliano, who Percy took to calling Smelly Gabe. He never even knew about a girl, who, from what Percy could see, was his mom's daughter. And what of the man? Was that his father?

Today the girl was beaming and it was clear that she got her smile from his mom, solidifying his idea that the girl was actually his sister. The girl was swinging her arms as she walked, making the two adults swing theirs as well as the girl was holding their hands. The man was carrying what looked like shopping bags, while his mother was holding a black stuffed wolf to her chest.

They were heading towards what looked like a large apartment building. Considering that they were in SoHo, the apartments were quite large meaning that the apartment the trio Percy was following was expensive.

'So mom used to be rich.' Percy thought after seeing the trio enter one of the buildings.

They headed to the elevator and Percy watched as they proceeded to the top floor. The top floor was all just one big loft, easily fitting at least thirty people.

'They're totally loaded.'

The loft was beautiful, furnished to the nines, and if Percy was to guess, ridiculously expensive. It had a rosewood floor and walls, with the wall having a darker tint than that of the floor. Of course, it was polished until it was shining. The windows were large, letting copious amounts of sunlight through, framed by dark red curtains. The view of the Manhattan skyline was visible through the windows.

The living room had a fireplace, some plants perched on its mantle. There was a leather couch with matching armchairs, under which a beautifully designed rug was, opposite an entertainment centre that rested against the wall. A coffee table made out of granite was easily in arms reach of the couch. A grand piano was standing near a window, and a book case filled with books on all kinds of topics was against another wall. Paintings depicting different landscapes were dotted throughout the living room.

The kitchen was a chef's dream. The counters were black marble which allowed for plenty of space when cooking. The kitchen appliances were cutting edge which would make even the sternest of chefs, smile in delight. A kitchen island for eating was also present.

The dining room was grand, the tablecloth a simple white. The table was wooden and had an elegant carved finishing. The red velvet chairs looked very comfortable. A grand chandelier was above the table, illuminating the delicious dishes that were frequently served on the table.

There was a staircase, leading to what Percy assumed were the bedrooms.

The girl and the man was currently lounging in the living room. She was holding the stuffed wolf, happily talking to the man in her childlike voice while he was getting a fire started. His mom was in the kitchen, taking out what looked to be a birthday cake. On it four candles and the words "Happy Birthday Mia!" written in frosting was clearly visible even to his dyslexic eyes.

The girl, Mia, saw the cake as it was being carried to the coffee table by his mom. She squealed and nearly tackled the man, wrapping his arms tightly around his legs, then running to his mom and carefully wrapping her arms around her, lest the cake be dropped.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" The girl shouted between squeals, releasing her grip to allow the cake to be put down on the table "I love you guys so much… Mom… Dad!"

The couple smiled, the man wrapping his arms lovingly around his mom.

"Make a wish sweetie."

The girl smiled, then closed her eyes and blew out the candles.

The surroundings went black, as if the only light that illuminated the dream was the candles. Gradually the surroundings started to lighten but the dream showed a different scene.

* * *

They were still in the loft and it was still as beautiful as ever. Peeking outside the window, Percy could see the moon shining brightly. He could spot from wherever he was a girl's leotard hanging on the couch's back, gymnastics hoops and ribbons scattered on the floor. There was a gym bag sitting on the couch, the stuffed wolf from before peeking out of the bag, and cookies on the table.

Mia, now looking a bit older was seated on the piano with her mom. She was being taught how to play and was just learning the first notes of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. The man was nowhere to be seen.

The light was coming from the candelabra perched on the piano. It lent an ethereal glow to the Mia and his mom's face. Percy looked intently at them.

Mia still had a smile on her face, but looking closely he could see that there were sad undertones to her smile. His mom, while clearly enjoying spending time with her daughter also had a sad look in her eyes.

After making another mistake on the piano, Mia slumped her shoulders and asked softly.

"When's dad coming home?"

Mom froze, turning her head slowly and looking at Mia. The sad look in her eyes intensified for a moment before it was they softened and gave Mia a sad smile. "Soon, honey. For now, let's just continue playing, okay?"

The girl nodded, a frown appearing on her face before she grinned at her mom, revealing her missing teeth. The smile on her face was infectious and soon his mom was also smiling, this time a bit more genuinely.

A strong gust of wind blew through the open window and the candelabra went out. The room was bathed in darkness and the dream changed once more.

When Percy could see again, he was in a clearing in the forest. He could barely see it was so dark, the light of the full moon being the sole source of light that Percy could see. The shadows seemed to dance with the wind.

Percy could hear grass crunching, footsteps rapidly approaching and the sound of someone gasping for breath. His attention caught by a rustling bush, he turned towards the sound just in time to see a figure burst out from the foliage.

The girl deemed the clearing to be safe and proceeded to slide down a nearby tree till she was seated on the ground. Her body betrayed how tired she felt, but when Percy looked into her stunning violet eyes, he could still see fire raging. She wasn't defeated. Not yet.

It was Mia. She was older now, around his age. Her hair fell around her lower back and her eyes looked like they were glowing. Her face, arms and legs were covered in cuts, scrapes and bruises. Her jacket was in tatters, her jeans ripped in some places. Sheathed on her back hip was a dagger made out of a black metal, its pommel decorated with an amethyst that matched Mia's eyes.

Even on the run, she was beautiful.

Gone was the girl who had a smile that was as bright as the sun. Her expression was now carefully crafted into a mask of indifference, her eyes the only clues as to what she was feeling. Percy could see in them her determination, to do what he did not know, but also sadness, pain, regret, and anger.

He watched the girl rest and saw how the girl kept aware of her surroundings even though he could tell she was exhausted. Hours passed, Mia falling asleep after a few minutes of silence, and still he watched her. She was nice to look at, he admitted to himself, but if anyone were to ask, it was because there was nothing else he could do.

The moon was still high in the sky when the sound of multiple pairs of footsteps broke the silence in the clearing. He followed his ears, looking for the source of the sound. He drifted towards the general direction of the disturbance.

He left the clearing, heading a few meters into the forest, when he caught his first glimpse at the monsters. There were three of them, all women and they were beautiful. That is, until you see them properly and some sort of mist clears from your vision. They had flaming red hair, chalk white skin, red eyes and fangs. They would have looked like vampires if not for their legs. One was bronze, the other, donkey.

Percy willed himself away from the disturbing sight and found himself, once again, in the clearing where Mia slept, unaware of the monsters nearby. Panicking, even though he was not physically present and, as far as he knew, was in no danger whatsoever, he started shouting at Mia to wake up. Even knowing it was a dream, he tried his best to alert the still sleeping girl to the danger when, to his surprise and to his relief, the girl seemed to have heard him and wake up.

Mia shook her head, clearing the sleep induced haze, and immediately took stock of her surroundings. It looked like she was searching for what woke her up, but it was impossible. She couldn't have really felt him, could she?

Both of them heard a twig snap and immediately turned to the sound. From the cover of darkness, they glimpsed a head of flaming hair, and in a snap, Mia was off, Percy following. She was sprinting, low to the ground, quickly but carefully moving away from the monsters, hoping that she wouldn't be spotted. Amazingly enough, even though she was running full-tilt, Percy barely heard her footfalls.

Percy heard a screech, then some snarls, and then the chase was on. He thought that Mia had put a good distance between her and the monsters, but when he looked back, he was shocked to see that the flame-haired hybrids were right on their tails. Trying once more to alert the girl fleeing for her life, he waved his arms in the air and shouted.

"Mia! They're right behind you!"

Percy was pleasantly surprised that Mia seemed to once again hear him. In a great show of balance and grace that impressed Percy, Mia turned mid step, drawing the blade on her hip, and swung her dagger in a wide arc, all in one move. One of the monsters was unfortunate enough to be hit by the swing, her throat now spurting out blood and her essence being absorbed by the blade. Soon, there were no traces of there ever being a third monster.

The two remaining hybrids snarled in fury, red eyes glowing. "Give it up, demigod. You can't face both of us at once."

Mia let a smirk emerge from her mask of indifference. "Once there were three. They chased little old me. To one of you I said, goodbye, adieu. Now what about you two." She taunted in a sing song voice. "Should I run, go flee? Or should I kill all three?" She drew another dagger, this time bronze, from a sheath on her ankle, and smiled scarily at the two monsters. "What do you think?" She asked tilting her head cutely to the side, acting as if she didn't just say that she was gonna kill someone.

The monsters responded with more snarls and shrieks, though now they were visibly more careful. They were no longer rushing forward, looking to pounce, but were analysing her, looking for openings.

The dual wielding girl didn't wait for them to attack. She charged forward, surprising the two monsters. They had seen no signs of the girl preparing to pounce. One moment, the girl was calmly twirling the daggers. The next, she was slashing at one of them with both blades in a scissor like move.

Surprised by the move but having the reflexes of monsters, the first hybrid leaned back, the daggers just missing her neck. The second monster tries to grab Mia, looking to bite down on the girl's neck, but Mia showing once again great grace sidestepped the vixen's outstretched arms. Mia lashed out with her black blade, managing to land a scratch on the hybrid's arm.

Immediately, the monster started screaming, holding its arm. Percy could see something coming out of the wound and being absorbed by the black dagger Mia was wielding. Eventually, the wounded monster stopped screeching in pain and once again got ready to attack.

While her sister was nursing her wound, the other monster kept Mia busy. Slashing with claws and kicking with her donkey foot, the monster kept attacking, hoping to buy her ally time to re-join the fight.

Mia, taking advantage of her enemy's desperate attacks, kept on the defensive, dodging and parrying blows while looking for an opportunity to counterattack. The more the monster became desperate, the more mistakes it would make.

Dodging an attempt to grab her with a pirouette, Mia saw her chance. The monster overextended and was now stumbling. Before it could regain its balance, Mia slashed, first with her right, second with her left, and to Percy's horror, a third time, using both blades in a strike that decapitated the monster.

The monster burst into golden dust. The dust started to scatter to the wind when Mia raised her black blade and the dust rushed into the dagger. Again, like the first casualty, no traces of there being a second monster was left.

"The monster is dead, no match for my deft." Mia began in a sing-song voice. "Do you yet feel dread? You're the only one left."

The remaining monster snarled in response before visibly calming down. Knowing what would happen to it should it attack now, it tried changing tactics. The monster snapped her fingers and in a flash, the mist that Percy saw through the first time he saw the creatures came back, and he saw once again the form of a beautiful woman.

The monster-turned-beauty smiled sweetly and said with a purr "Is this really necessary, my dear?" She looked at the Mia, blades still drawn in a combat stance. "Let's put a stop to all the violence, shall we?"

Mia's response was to twirl her blades once, then to close in and slash at the monster once, before jumping back to a reasonable distance.

"Your magic doesn't work on me, Empousa."

If possible, the Empousa's smile grew even larger. "Oh… honey… I wasn't talking to you…" The woman, to his shock, looked right at him, or at least where he thought his body would be.

Mia's eyes darted around, looking for someone the Empousa could be talking to. She didn't turn her head, using only the corner of her eye to scan surroundings, expecting the monster to attack if she looked away.

"There's no one here."

"Of course there is. He's right there." The monster pointed in his direction. Mia allowed her gaze to look at where the monster was referring to. Her eyes widened in surprise, looking as if she saw a ghost.

'This doesn't make sense.' Percy thought 'I'm just dreaming. How could the Empousa even know I was here?' He looked down. His jaw dropped, which was a surprise in itself because as far as he knew, just before the Empousa acknowledged him, he didn't have a body let alone a mouth.

Now, he had a body, though it looked transparent, like wasn't altogether there. He was still visible though, and right now, both Mia and the Empousa were looking right at him.

"Who are you?" Mia shouted at me. Maybe she thought I was with the Empousa? She changed her stance, until she looked like she was ready to attack me if I so much as moved suddenly. "What are you doing here?"

"M-me?" Percy asked, dumbly pointing to himself. She glared, her violet eyes trained at the boy, giving him a look that said 'are you stupid?' "I-I'm P-Percy Jackson… and this is my dream." He finished dumbly.

The Empousa disguised as a beauty laughed, the sound comparable to tinkling bells. Mia, on the other hand, looked as though he just confirmed her suspicions that yes, he was stupid.

"He's been helping you, you know. He woke you up when we got close, and he told you that we were behind you." The monster said, glad that its plan worked and that the attention was no longer on her. Mia was now looking at Percy intently, while Percy, did what a boy his age, would have done when being scrutinized by a pretty girl, forgetting the fact that they had the same mom. He fidgeted and blushed, avoiding eye contact.

Mia slowly started moving closer to the boy, trying to not appear threatening. Percy let her. Even with her blades drawn, her body tense and ready to pounce at the monster, who Percy forgot was even there, she looked beautiful to him. Her eyes were alive, her face flushed from the exhaustion, and Percy started smelling a sweet lilac scent when she got close.

Her eyes looked him up and down, scrutinizing him closely. Eventually she said to him "You look like my… my mom."

Percy noticed her pause and wondered what happened. He knew his mom. If Mia was her daughter, why would she be here in the forest, alone, wearing tatters and carrying blades?

Mia looked at him expectantly.

"What?"

"You look like my mom." When I didn't answer, she prompted "Why do you look like her?"

Percy struggled to form an answer. How do you tell a girl, a really pretty girl, that you had the same mom, when you're the same age but you didn't grow up together but have memories of your mom raising you?

"Um… mom… is… um…" Percy stuttered out. He really didn't know how to answer.

Suddenly, the dream started to darken. He looked down at his body. It was fading. He looked around and tried to find out why the dream was changing. Then he saw what was missing. The Empousa was gone, it had escaped. The monster who had flames for hair.

Mia looked at me in alarm. The boy, Percy, she thought, was fading. "What's happening?"

"The Empousa" I gestured to the empty space the monster used to occupy "is gone." He gave Mia one last look, seeing the anger in her beautiful violet eyes.

Mia thought that the Empousa tricked her with an illusion and was angry at herself.

Percy thought she was angry with him.

With that, Percy couldn't see anymore. The forest was swallowed by darkness, and by then he knew that he lost his body again.

* * *

When Percy regained his vision, he was on the crest of a hill. In the distance, he could see a collection of buildings. He saw a multi-story building, a porch wrapping around it, painted red. He saw volleyball courts close to the house, then he saw the campfire burning hot and bright in the distance. He could hear singing and laughter in the direction of the fire.

Behind him, he heard panting and just as he expected, a girl with long dark hair and dazzling violet eyes entered his vision. She was out of breath, flushed, her skin had more cuts, scrapes and bruises and her clothes were in a worse condition than before. God, she looked beautiful.

His gaze shifted, following movement behind Mia and gulped. There was an army of monsters. There were huge, muscled, one-eyed giants with clubs, a group of snake-women wielding swords, spears and shields in formation, a flock of bronze birds with beaks and feathers that gleamed in the moonlight, looking like they slice through flesh. Worst of all, a bit ahead of the army, was a lion with a man's head and a scorpion's tail. It was a monster right out of Percy's nightmares.

At that moment, he remembered one of Mr Brunner's lectures.

"A Manticore is a greek monster. Like the Chimera and the Sphinx, the Manticore is a hybrid of creatures. The head of a man, the body of a lion, and the tail of a scorpion. This is what makes a Manticore. Beware this monster, for it possesses immense cunning because of its human aspect, a strong and agile body because of the lion aspect, and the ability to shoot poisoned spines from its scorpion tail."

He broke out into giggles. To think he would find the answer to Mr Brunner's question from earlier today. "Studying the Greek and Roman Myths is important because we could come face to face with a Manticore." His chuckles became full blown laughter.

Mia reached the crest of the hill and was now standing in front of Percy, gazing at the buildings through his non-existent body just as he had when he arrived.

He saw the way she smiled softly and his face heat up and his heart skipped a beat. Unlike the smiles he saw when she was a child which warmed his heart at its innocence, or the smirks and grins she wore when she fought the Empousa, Percy liked this smile the best.

Over Mia's shoulder, Percy saw the army approaching and face fell. "Behind you! Mia! Behind you!" He screamed right at her face, hoping beyond hope that she could hear him, just as she had before.

He watched, horrified, as the army got unbelievably close to the girl. He was praying to every god he knew, wishing with all his might, that Mia would see the army and escape before they got to her. In a way, his prayers were answered.

Percy watched with bated breath as a one-eyed giant suddenly gained speed, moving ahead of the rest of the monsters leaving behind his fellow giants and even the quicker looking snake-women. It was closing in fast. "NO!" Percy screamed just as the monster roared a battle cry, still a few meters away from Mia.

Mia, having heard the roar, turned, saw the monster army, especially the Cyclops preparing to strike, and ducked. She dodged the blow and turned to once again run in the direction of the buildings.

The sky flashed and right where Percy stood, lightning struck. Percy, having no body and just a consciousness, watched as the bolt of electricity went right through where the top of his head should have been and strike the ground where his feet should be.

Fire erupted from the ground, consuming the grass, drawing a line between the monsters and the camp. The flames also closed off Mia's escape route. She was stuck. She could either die by monster or die by fire. Talk about out of the frying pan.

Percy watched, transfixed, as Mia glared at the sky, cursed at Zeus, at which point Percy was no longer surprised, and faced the monsters with her two blades. He watched the girl move about the army, dodging, parrying, slashing, kicking, grappling, and doing what she could.

She was like a goddess of death. Each move was precise. Every strike with her blades either wounded an enemy or outright destroyed. Every dodge was graceful. Every parry well executed.

Percy gapped when he saw Mia stretch her body backwards until her hands and feet were firmly planted on the ground. He was wondering what she was doing while appreciating the view of her shirt riding up to expose her flat stomach when in a move that amazed him she kicked a bronze bird away with an overhead kick while dodging a spine from the Manticore.

Eventually though, skilled as she was, Mia was overcome by the sheer number of monsters. After being hit by a poisoned spine, she started to lose ground. Percy watched, transfixed, as he watched the Manticore pounce on Mia, pinning her to the ground.

The Manticore's roar broke him out of his stupor and he started shouting, screaming, and begging for something to happen. Anything that could save Mia.

A bright light shone from underneath Mia. It was shining so brightly that the Manticore released the girl and fled. Hearing a gasp, Percy's eyes shot to Mia's, her violet orbs glowing with power. The bright light turned to darkness, shadows that swallowed everything. The monsters were consumed by the shadows. Even the flames were no match for the darkness that swallows everything.

When the shadows receded, Percy could see piles of golden dust, slowly scattered by the wind.

Silence.

Percy could see Mia breathing softly. He moved closer, his face right in front of hers, watching, wondering what would happen next.

The corners of his vision were once again darkening. The flames caused by the lightning was gone. He looked to the campfire in the distance. He could just make out the flickering embers that were left.

He was out of time.

A trio of old grandmothers broke the silence.

"Not yet girl. Your Fate is not to die today."

He looked at the new arrivals. They were old ladies, for sure, with their wrinkled skin and sunken eyes. They were wearing white robes, and carrying knitting gear which Percy found to be weird, but who was he to say anything? They were just dreams, and he was the one dreaming, wasn't he.

Then he noticed Mia sinking to the ground. He was panicking and he didn't know what to do. He didn't have arms, heck, he didn't have a body. His vision was now almost fully dark. He didn't know how to help.

Then another voice interrupted his panic.

"Um… what are you doing?"

He caught a glimpse of a suit, with a design of, if he was not mistaken, galaxies.

Then everything went dark.

* * *

A.N.

Hey guys! This is Andro, your humble author. This is my first fanfic, so please be gentle with your reviews if you are kind enough to leave one.

Regarding the part with Nancy implying things about Percy and Grover, please know that I am in no way against same-sex relationships. I just thought that Percy wouldn't appreciate being mocked that way.

So I tried making detailed descriptions with the apartments, which I found really hard and I don't think that they were very good. Do you guys think that I should continue with detailed descriptions like those or stop?

Thanks again guys. See you next chapter!


	3. Contact With The Creator

Percy Jackson and Andromeda's Lament

A.N.

 _Is Andromeda Percy's Sister?_

 _Yes… well… sort of._

This is my first fanfic. I appreciate reviews, constructive criticism and flames, but please be gentle. English is not my first language so please bear with any mistakes in using the English language and any geographical mistakes.

I don't own Percy Jackson or anything else. All I own is the plot and I'm not even sure that I do. (Do I own the plot?)

On with the story.

* * *

Chapter 2: Contact with the Creator

When Percy regained awareness, he had a body but he doubted his eyes were working properly. He could barely see. He was in a room – at least he thought it was a room. He wasn't sure because the room was blindingly white. The lights reflected on every surface in the room, effectively robbing him of his ability to see.

He spun in place. It was the same all around.

"Hello." He called out. "Anyone there?" No response.

Looking around one more time, he shrugged and picking a direction randomly, started walking with arms outstretched. He stopped when his hand came into contact with a wall.

Placing his palm flat on the wall, he felt around. The wall was smooth, like marble. He knocked on the wall. It felt weird, definitely solid but something was off. In a show of stupidity, he punched the wall with a closed fist. A pained yelp echoed in the room.

"Definitely solid." He looked at the wall. There was a perfectly formed imprint of his fist. "So why are you telling me that it's not?"

The imprint itself was weird. Aside from being shaped like a fist, it wasn't white, for a start. Previously, the wall was completely uniform. Now, there was a blue spot standing out amidst the monotonous white. The colour was slowly shifting among different shades of blue.

He stared at the imprint for another second before walking left, his right hand trailing along the wall. When he arrived at the corner of two walls, he changed directions, now following a second wall. He started counting how many paces it took for him to reach the end from one corner to the other.

"17… 18… 19… 20…" He stopped. In front of him was another wall, seemingly identical to the one he had just measured. Switching walls, Percy proceeded to repeat his previous actions, now on the third wall. Once more, he reached the end of the wall in 20 paces.

"So assuming the room is square…" He wondered aloud, switching walls once more. "I should reach the end of this wall in another 20 paces."

Resuming his survey of the room, he continued walking, his right hand never ceasing its trail since he started. Midway through, around 10 paces in, he saw the imprint of his fist, but this time the colour had changed drastically. It had a darker colour now, almost black.

He inspected the imprint closely. He lined his fist up to the imprint. It was a perfect match. This was definitely the one he made a while ago.

"So, I'm in a triangular room." He continued walking along the wall until he reached the end. Like before, it took him twenty paces.

"What now?" He recapped what he knew. He was in a room. He didn't know how he got there – he doubted he was awake, so it should still be a dream. He wondered why he would dream of this place. Was this his mind? If so, why was it so white?

He walked back to the imprint. It had changed again, this time into a sea-green colour that matched his eyes almost perfectly. He touched the sea-green shape. His eyebrows shot up. With his other hand, he touched the surrounding white wall.

"Strange… the walls are smooth like marble," He looked at the print. "But this is damp."

Rubbing at the coloured spot with his finger, he confirmed that it was indeed slightly damp, like the wall was sweating. He took his hands away from the wall. He inspected his finger. It was dry.

He put his ear to the wall and heard something resembling the tide and thought he heard a bird squawking.

He tapped on the area surrounding the print with his knuckles – softly but firmly this time, remembering earlier. As he expected, the shape expanded, losing its fist-like form. He was left with a circle of sea-green, shifting like waves, and the approximate size of a basketball. Grinning, he started slapping at the wall, revealing more and more of the image hidden underneath the strange white colouring.

Loud smacks reverberated throughout the room for several minutes. When Percy stopped, a decently sized portion of the image had been revealed. It was a blend of colours – sea green, shades of blue and a dark, almost black, colour.

It was the sea.

The sound of waves came from the image. Percy was surprised because there were actual, real, moving waves. The light glinting on the surface of the water also looked real, like Percy was actually on a beach. When Percy closed his eyes, he felt as if he was really at seaside, and he swore that he could smell saltwater.

He stared at the image. He had always loved the sea. The stories his mom told about his dad were all related to the sea, one way or another. They met, fell in love and said goodbye by the sea. He and his mom frequently took trips to the beach, usually renting out an old cabin in Montauk – the place she met his dad – and Percy would spend his time swimming or simply watching how the light glimmers of the water and hearing the waves crashing on the shore.

Tearing his gaze away from the coloured wall, his eyes landed on the nearby blank space of whiteness that was another wall.

"I wonder." Percy approached the blank wall. He inspected the wall for a moment, then, grinning as he did so, hit the wall with a loud slap.

He waited for something to happen. Nothing did.

Shrugging his shoulders, Percy tried again, this time with more force. Again, nothing happened. He tried and tried until his palm was red, he was out of breath, and frustrated, bordering on angry.

He didn't notice, but the image of the sea was darkening the more frustrated Percy felt. Gradually, from the peaceful waters that gave life and livelihood, the sea had become host to a raging storm that caused chaos and destruction. And it was getting even darker, the seas wilder.

"Why aren't you doing anything?!" Channelling his frustration, he slammed his whole body at the wall with a roar. Percy felt something shift and quickly stepped away.

Slowly the wall responded.

Smirking, Percy watched as the wall changed. Before it could finish, a voice broke Percy's solitude.

"My my, it's the first time you came here and to think that you've gained access to it this early." The voice began silkily. Percy turned and he saw a man. "I'm impressed."

* * *

The man was wearing a crisp three-piece suit. The ensemble was black except for the white vest, providing a nice contrast to the look. Stars and planets decorated the suit, and if Percy was in any way knowledgeable on astronomy he would have known that the design was accurate. In his right hand was a plain black top hat, in his left, a wooden cane topped with a black spherical shape that was slowly turning.

The man reminded Percy of Riddler, a comic villain that he liked. That is until you took a look at his face. The man didn't have one. He was bald, his scalp covered in strange markings that Percy couldn't make out. There were slight depressions where his eyes should have been and a small bulge accounted for his nose. He didn't have ears or a mouth, which made Percy wonder where he spoke from.

"Who are you?"

The man raised his staff, the black sphere now coloured blue, and tapped on the ground. The first time, the sphere sprouted spots of green and brown. "Ooh… I like this one!" Tapping his staff on the ground for a second time, rings formed around the sphere. "Now, where to put it?" The man looked at his outfit. "Where do you think?"

It took a moment for Percy to realize the man was talking to him. "Does it matter?"

"Of course it matters." The man was still looking at his person, specifically his jacket. "You are going to visit it one day. You don't want to visit a planet with an xtonic star, do you? Or a planet near the Asylum?" He pointed at a blue grey with a sort of barrier around it.

Percy wondered what an xtonic star was. He asked the man who promptly ignored his question. He thought about the man's words. 'He said a planet? Did he mean…'

"Aha! Near Barcelona would be perfect! You look like a dog person." Percy nodded dumbly. He had lost track of the conversation, if you could call it one, after the xtonic star. "Then you'd love the dogs there. They don't have noses you know!"

The man proceeded to place the sphere – planet, Percy thought – against his suit jacket. It promptly disappeared from the man's hand and reappeared next to another planet adorning the man's clothes.

"There, new planet, right next to Barcelona." The man turned to Percy, finally. "When you see my friend, tell him 'He liked it so he put a ring on it.' He'll know what to do. And remind him to stop by Barcelona! He hadn't gone since Rose…"

Percy gave the man an 'are you stupid' look. The man shrugged. "What friend?" Percy asked.

"Oh… stupid hair, criminal fashion sense… you'll know him when you see him." With a snap of his fingers, the cane disappeared. "Now, onto business. I'm Chaos, creator of the universe, etcetera, etcetera…" He finished with a dismissing wave of his hand.

Percy gaped at the man. "So… the thing with the cane? That was…."

"A planet, yes. Congratulations Percy, you just witnessed the creation of the planet Galuflax."

Losing the strength in his legs, Percy fell to the floor on his butt. He was staring blankly at the man who claimed to be the creator of the universe.

Chaos, expecting the boy to start worshipping and grovelling, was about to wave his hand dismissively when the young boy laughed hysterically. "HAHAHAHA! This dream, what the hell! This dream is insane!"

Chaos frowned – well, as much as a faceless being can frown. "Really Percy. You still think this is a dream?" He snapped his fingers and in a flash of light, they were transported to a different place. "See, this is Galuflax."

Percy who had yet to get up from before, was now sitting on a rough stone floor. It was night time, and the moon and the stars were shining brightly in the sky. The moon was bigger than what Percy was used to, like several times the size of the full moon, and the stars were shining brighter than he had ever seen.

Their surroundings were lit by moonlight, which was bright enough that Percy could see somewhat normally. They were in a ruin, a fort maybe. Percy could see that it was, once upon a time, a formidable place to breach. It had a moat, crossable only by a draw bridge, high stone walls, and enough towers that approaches from all sides would be visible. Now, the walls had holes in them, large enough for maybe 4 or 5 men to pass at once, and most of the towers had fallen, leaving the grounds filled with debris. The keep, however, was still standing strong.

Percy's thoughts were interrupted when panicked footsteps and haggard breathing filled the air. From one of the still intact towers, a man was running like the hordes of hell were right on his heels. He was bald and he was wearing medieval like clothes. From the RPGs Percy had played, he knew that the man's clothes were considered fine in that era. He had a pot belly which was bouncing around as he ran. When he stumbled and fell to the ground, he hurriedly scrambled to his feet and continued running.

It was then that Percy caught a glimpse of what the man was running from. It looked like an ape to Percy, with its large arms and comparably smaller legs. Its body was covered in rags, but he could catch glimpses of its muscled frame. On the creatures head was a mane of red hair, like a horse. The scariest thing about the creature were its teeth. They were long, pointy, and boy were there a lot of 'em.

The man managed a few more meters before the beast caught up with him. Percy looked away. Even though he couldn't see what was happening, he had a pretty good idea judging from the pain filled screams filling the air.

Percy opened his eyes only when the sounds had stopped. Just in time too, for a man had just jumped out of the tower the first man had come from. The tower was in no way small, but the man who had just jumped did so without hesitation. He landed on all fours, graceful as a cat, picked up a decently sized rock, and stood up without fear. The moonlight landed on the man's face, and Percy flinched.

The man was handsome, that was for sure, but what made Percy flinch was the long scar right over the man's right eye. It was red and angry, which made the man's eyes which were decidedly feline in appearance, all the more intimidating. Add in the long white hair, and gleaming sword visible over the man's shoulder and Percy would bet his whole stash of sweets that anyone would flinch upon first seeing that.

The white haired man stalked towards the beast confidently, as if he was the one that the beast should fear. Winding up his arm, the man threw the rock at the beast who stopped its feasting in favour of attacking the offender.

As the monster snarled and growled, Percy could swear the man was smirking! The monster lunged suddenly and Percy once more shut his eyes, waiting for the tell-tale crunch that meant that the man was monster food. He heard nothing of the sort. Instead, he heard the whining of a wounded animal.

Once more opening his eyes, Percy was shocked to see that the monster was on the ground, at the man's feet, seemingly stunned. Just as he thought that the man had won, the monster jumped at the scarred man. Quick as lightning, he caught the beasts face with a punch, just as it was about to snap at his neck. With a quick pirouette, the beast was yanked out of his fall in the opposite direction, making the monster fall on its back, its belly exposed.

The beast once again sprang to its feet and pounced. The swordsman, who had yet to even draw his sword, was ready and ducked under the monster's swipes before delivering his own thunderous strikes. Once again, the beast fell, this time to a kick, followed by a knee to the face.

As the man was taking out a long chain from his belt, Percy heard Chaos speak. "That's enough Percy. Time to go back." And with a snap of his fingers, the ruins, the man, and the monster disappeared and Percy was once again in the white room.

* * *

"What was that?" Percy asked after a while. He had spent the last few minutes thinking about what he had just saw. It was amazing, seeing the man take down the beast with just his fists. He was a bit annoyed at Chaos for not letting him watch until the end.

Chaos had been waiting patiently for Percy to come out of his thoughts, so he answered as soon as the boy asked. "That, my young friend, was Galuflax."

"How? I mean, we were just here and then we were there and now we're back here." Percy wrapped his around that. He had just been on another planet. But he was dreaming, right? "Besides, this is all just a dream, right?"

"Really? Did it not feel real enough? Were the sights, the sounds, the smells not real? Was the fear you felt imagined? Was the thrill you felt watching the slaying of the monster fake?"

"But it's just a dream! And I've been having this same dream for months now! And besides, if that was Galuflax, a planet that you created just _minutes_ ago, then why were there men and monsters there. Hell, there were even ruins!"

Chaos looked unbalanced at his last statement, but still gave a decent answer. "Galuflax had its time sped up. I do it for every planet I like. It'll gradually slow down until it's in sync with earth. After all, I created that planet for you. It wouldn't do if it were empty when you visited, right?"

He nodded, agreeing that visiting an empty planet would be boring, but still Percy insisted that everything was just a dream. If he was wrong, if things really were real, then what? Would his life change? Would it stay the same? What about Mia, was she real?

Chaos looked at Percy, and for the first time since he appeared, Percy felt like the man – Chaos, he corrected – had been surprised.

"Really? You've been dreaming of young Andromeda for months?" The creator watched him intently. Percy was still wondering how Chaos, though not having a face, was still so expressive. "That's a surprise. You shouldn't be dreaming of her this early. It was supposed to start when you obtained the tear."

Percy looked at Chaos blankly as the creator continued to mumble to himself, too low for Percy to hear. What was he talking about? Percy had no idea. It was a feeling that he had been getting used to lately. "Will you please explain to me what's going on?!"

The mumbling stopped and Chaos looked like he was about to explain when he stopped.

"Ah… looks like our time is up. You'll be waking up soon."

"So this is just a dream! I knew it!"

Chaos sighed. Was this really the person he was going to choose? Yes. Yes, he was.

"This isn't a dream. This is real. It just happened in a dream. Do you understand?" Percy nodded reluctantly. "When you wake up, you won't remember any of this."

The boy frowned. If he wasn't going to remember, then why bother explaining. He voiced his thoughts to the god.

"You won't remember, but you'll know. Though you won't readily recall this meeting, the memories would still be there, supressed in your subconscious. Understand?"

Again, the boy nodded. "Good. Now, because you've accessed part of the second wall and you've been dreaming of her this early which is both surprising and impressive, I'm gonna give you a reward! Even though you were a bit annoying with your stubborn insistence that none of this is real. Aren't I a benevolent creator?!" He finished that last question with a flourish, as if expecting applause.

Chaos looked at Percy expectantly until, with a sigh, the boy started clapping and yelling how amazing he was.

"Thank you! Thank you! I love you all!" Chaos blew a kiss and Percy ducked to avoid it. Grinning at the god, he stood to his full height and watched as Chaos summoned his cane. It was pointed at Percy, a bright light at its tip. When the light became too much to bear, the boy closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, he was back in his bed, Grover still snoring on his side of the room. He looked at the clock. 7:00. He slept through the night for the first time in months.

* * *

Percy had a great morning. He felt good and energized for the first time in months. Actually, he felt stronger and faster than he had ever been. He started zipping about the room, preparing for the class field trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a happy grin never leaving his face.

He didn't know what was different from last night compared to the previously horrible ones. He knew that the dream started the same way as it always did, but like usual, the events of the dream following the initial blankness was escaping him. He also felt the same things as before, the loss, pain and regret, making him believe that the dream was the usual. The only difference being that he stayed asleep the whole night. He was grateful for the extra rest.

When Grover woke up 10 minutes after Percy did, it was because of Percy's enthusiastic – read: loud – rendition of Rolling in the Deep while he was in the shower. Happy at the improved health of his friend, though mildly annoyed at being woken up in such a manner, Grover started getting ready for the field trip himself.

When Percy got out of the shower, he saw his roommate brushing his teeth on his desk while reading a Metropolitan Museum of Art pamphlet. Chuckling to himself at the sight – Grover, after all, had the coordination of a new born goat (Percy didn't know how right he was), and the pamphlet was soaked in toothpaste foam – he proceeded to get dressed while Grover took his turn in the bathroom.

He wasn't shy at changing in front of Grover, they had been roomies for months. Today he went with a blue t-shirt that had black horizontal stripes, dark jeans and some converse sneakers. Yancy Academy had a uniform but the school let the students wear their own clothes for the field trip. After all, it wouldn't do for the reputation of the school if the students were wearing the uniform while causing trouble in public. Even though the school where the misfits go to could be found out easily, at least it wouldn't be overtly advertised if they were in casual clothing.

A still damp Grover got out of the bathroom just as Percy had finished putting on his chosen attire. "Looking better Perce." The satyr said as he approached his bed, clothes already laid out. "Good night?"

Percy gave his friend a bright smile. "Yeah. It was better than usual. I actually slept through the night. How 'bout that? Though I still can't remember the dream." His smile faded a bit at that. "I know I had it again but I just can't remember!"

Grover got dressed in his green t-shirt that had a picture of a tree using a tablet and posting 'Save me', which made Percy bright up, blue jeans and Nike shoes. His signature beanie was on his head, crutches ready as it leaned on his bedframe.

"It's alright Percy. You'll remember eventually."

Percy nodded. He knew that he would remember. Why he knew, he didn't know. "Yeah, I know. So, ready to go?"

Grover was already heading towards the door, his crutches accompanying his every step. "C'mon slowpoke!"

Grinning at his friend, Percy chased after him.

* * *

Percy and Grover got to the bus just in time. They were the last ones to board and it was about to leave. They had woken up early enough that they shouldn't have been cutting it so close, but Grover had been distracted by the smell of freshly baked enchiladas, and he went out searching for them. It had taken him half an hour, but Grover found the delicious tortilla food in the cafeteria – which made Percy facepalm, they should've looked there first – and had the lunch lady pack him some in a Tupperware saying that it would be saved for lunch. They then rushed to the bus and arrived when they did.

Since they were the last aboard, there were only two seats open. One was next to Mr Brunner, the Latin teacher, who had come to act as a sort of tour guide. Percy figured that his wheelchair was in the bus storage, as he couldn't see it anywhere. The other seat was next to Mrs Dodds, the pre-algebra teacher who would do most of the chaperoning as Mr Brunner was stuck on a wheelchair, directly across from the first seat.

Percy cursed under his breath. Figures. The worst seats in the whole bus was waiting for their sorry butts. Sitting next to Brunner wasn't too bad, Percy actually liked the guy. Mrs Dodds was the real problem. Percy hated her. She was evil. Whereas Brunner was a likeable guy with his wheelchair and old-man clothes, Mrs Dodds was scary. She wore leather and looked mean enough to drive a Harley through your locker. Students hated getting detention with her, they were the longest and went well into the night.

Glancing at Grover, Percy winced. His face was the picture of abject terror. While Percy hated Mrs Dodds, Grover was absolutely terrified of her. Grover's pretty smart and he could answer any question about biology but when Grover was asked a question in pre-algebra, all he would do was cower at the teacher.

Right now, Grover was glancing at Brunner, then at Dodds, like he was deciding where to sit. Knowing how Grover felt about Mrs Dodds, Percy was surprised that he was even considering sitting next to her. Letting Grover off the hook, even though he hated having to sit next to the evil teacher, Percy went and made to sit next to Mrs Dodds, saying a greeting to Mr Brunner as he passed.

"Ah, good morning Mr Jackson. You look better today. How do you feel?"

Percy stopped and did a double take. How did Mr Brunner know that he wasn't feeling well lately?

"I see that you're confused. Well, my boy, you see, Grover was worried about you. Yesterday, he came to see me and asked if there was anything I could do." Brunner explained. "I have dabbled in many things in my years and among them was medicine, and psychology. Grover knew of this when he came to me."

Percy nodded. That did make sense. "But why did Grover know, Mr Brunner? About your… dabbling was it?"

At this Brunner smiled. "Grover and I are related, Mr Jackson. And though it is very distant, far enough that blood doesn't matter, we have known each other long before school because of our relation."

Grover had been standing to the side as this went on, when suddenly he pushed past Percy, making Percy stumble onto the seat next to Brunner, and took the seat next to Dodds. As he sat down, the pre-algebra teacher gave him a sickeningly sweet smile, which made Grover whimper and look away.

Percy gaped at his friend. He himself had chosen to sit next to Dodds so that Grover wouldn't have to, knowing how much Grover was scared of the woman. Yet here they were, Percy sitting next to the likeable Latin teacher, who Percy had just found out was related to his friend, while said friend was sitting next to the terrifying pre-algebra teacher. What was going on?

While the oblivious demigod was gaping at the events that had unfolded, Chiron gave Grover a grimace. He knew what the other teacher was and even he would have done anything to avoid sitting with the woman for an extended period of time. Silently mouthing an apology to the scared out of his mind satyr, Chiron turned back to Percy.

"Mr Jackson" He called, breaking Percy out of his stupor.

"Yes, Mr Brunner?"

"These dreams that Grover told me you've been having, when did they start?" The centaur disguised as a teacher asked. "It seems to me that you're dreams are at the root of this."

Counting the number of months since he had trouble sleeping, then doing the math, Percy gave his teacher the approximate beginning of the dreams. "December, sir. Just before Christmas."

He remembered the worried look his mom had given him on Christmas day. He was so tired at the time that he didn't annoy his mother into opening presents early, nor did he jump at the first opportunity to open them come Christmas morning. Gabe, as usual, made snide remarks about how much of a complete flop Percy was that he couldn't even celebrate Christmas properly.

Mr Brunner's eyes darkened at his words, but Percy didn't notice as he was lost in his memories. Brunner himself was lost in thought.

The boy's dreams started just after the winter solstice, maybe even on the day. This was troubling. Maybe the young demigod, who by all appearances, does not yet know about his heritage, was actually involved somehow in the theft.

The area around the two teachers and the two students was the only quiet place in the whole bus. Amidst the loud yelling, laughing, bickering, and bullying (in Nancy's case) occurring all throughout the school bus, the four aforementioned were silent as the grave.

Brunner was silently contemplating the mystery of the young demigod sitting beside him. Whether or not he was involved in the events that occurred on the Winter Solstice, it was his duty to protect and train the young boy. Making up his mind, the trainer of heroes brought out a cd player and a book. He plugged in his earphones, listening to the soothing tones of Frank Sinatra and reading a book on Greek Mythology in preparation for the field trip. Even though it was likely he lived at the time the myths originated, he had to know it from the mortal point of view. It wouldn't do for him to teach the kids something that he knew was true but the rest of the mortals think is false. Besides, some of the interpretations thought up by mortals were immensely amusing.

Percy was thinking about his dream again. He knew that it was important and that something happened because of the dream that affected him deeply. The usual dream only left him with negative feelings, but the most recent dream also made him feel somehow stronger, faster, and maybe it was just him but he sure as did feel a bit smarter.

An image of a faceless man wearing a suit promising him a reward flashed through his mind. He grasped at the dream, but it was like a flowing water, the memory simply passing through his fingers. He let out a sigh of frustration. The dream was really affecting him and maybe it was time to stop thinking about it.

Looking to his left, he saw Grover cowering silently at Mrs Dodds, who was staring straight ahead, sniffling occasionally. He was sitting as far away from the woman as possible, half of his butt was off the seat. He caught Grover's eye and he gave his friend an encouraging smile. It seemed to work a little but when Mrs Dodds looked at Percy, he looked away suddenly, like he did something wrong. When he chanced a look back at Grover, he was once again in terror.

Percy heard Mr Brunner laugh and looked at the man reading a book on mythology like it was a comedy before he looked around at his other classmates. They were acting like idiots. Yancy Academy is a private boarding school for troubled kids, but many of the students were from rich families. Percy was not one of those. His classmates were rich, he could tell just by looking at them. They wore designer clothes that looked unkempt, like they didn't really care and they had faces that just screamed 'I'm rich, don't mess with me'.

The worst of them was a Nancy Bobofit, the girl who implied yesterday that he and Grover were messing around at night. She was kleptomaniac, which meant that she liked to steal things but sometimes Percy thought that she also had a condition that made her impulsively insult and annoy people named Percy Jackson. He figured that Nancy was loaded because no one complained about her.

Of course, his classmates weren't all that bad. There was Gregor, the kid who'd lost his father, who came back two year later with PTSD. He was a bit weird, all sorts of pests like cockroaches and bats liked him while rats hated him, and sometimes he'd even talk to them, but overall he was a good kid. Percy heard that in the two years his dad was missing that Gregor took care of his younger sisters and his grandma while his mom worked multiple jobs. He hated fighting but was a beast when he did fight back.

Percy liked him. He reminded Percy of himself.

He was going to look around some more when the bus stopped. They had arrived at the museum.

* * *

"Alright class, pair up!" Mrs Dodds announced when we stood up to unload. "Mr Underwood, please, be a _deer_ and hold my bag." She then proceeded to drag Grover by his wrist.

"Wrong animal..." Grover mumbled under his breath. Mrs Dodds seemed to have heard because she glared at him and Grover whimpered and looked away.

Grover shot Percy a pleading look, begging him with his eyes to save him. Percy gave his friend pitying look. There really was nothing he could do. Even though he hated Mrs Dodds and though that she's a horrible excuse of a human being, she was still a teacher.

Percy waited until the wave of students rushing to get off the bus had passed. Mr Brunner apparently had the same idea because he was still sitting patiently on his seat. Then he remembered that his Latin teacher needed a wheelchair.

"Um… where's your wheelchair, sir? I'll get it for you." Percy offered.

Brunner smiled at him. "Just ask the driver, Mr Jackson. It's in the bus storage compartment. Mr Walden, would you kindly assist Mr Jackson in retrieving my wheelchair?" The Latin teacher addressed the last student walking towards the door. It was Gregor.

"Of course, sir." Gregor motioned for Percy to go ahead. They got off the bus together and approached the driver.

"Um… excuse me… but, Mr Brunner's wheelchair's in the storage compartment." Percy told the driver who was leaning against the buss. He grunted in reply and gestured for them to follow him. They hurried to follow the driver who had a couple of feet head start and longer legs. When they caught up to the man, the compartment was already opened, Mr Brunner's wheelchair folded and ready to be taken.

Percy looked at his companion, specifically his scrawny arms. "So… you take that side?" He asked, pointing at the top part of the wheelchair. He'd take the wheels where he thought it would be heavier, thinking that Gregor would have difficulty lifting it – well, more than he would because he'd certainly find it difficult as well.

Gregor nodded and bent down to reach into the compartment and drag the wheelchair. As the boy grabbed the handles, a voice called out. Percy looked around. Besides the driver, there was no one there and he seriously doubted that the voice was the driver's. It was squeaky, like a small child's.

"You be, the Princess Brother, you be?"

Gregor's body went rigid. He whispered quietly into the compartment. Percy tried to hear, but it was too soft and Gregor's body was blocking the entrance so that he couldn't squeeze in. Percy, however, could hear the squeaky voice almost perfectly.

"She here, the Princess, she here?" Gregor whispered more furiously in response. A soft clacking noise could be heard and Gregor sighed in relief. He once again reached into the compartment and pulled out the wheelchair.

"There. C'mon, let's go bring this to Mr Brunner." Gregor, not giving Percy a chance to ask questions, grabbed his side of the wheelchair and started lifting. Percy hurriedly grabbed hold of his side by the wheels, and lifted it with ease, to Percy's surprise. Mr Brunner's wheelchair was massive. He expected some difficulty, but Percy didn't even strain at all.

A few moments later, Percy and Gregor had hauled the wheelchair onto the bus, ready for Mr Brunner to take a seat. Percy helped Mr Brunner get on the wheelchair, which was more difficult than he expected. Mr Brunner was heavy, way more than normal, but with his recently gained strength, it felt more like lifting a big bucket of water. Straining but doable.

When they reached the door, Percy was worried that he and Gregor would have to lift Mr Brunner, chair and all, down the bus. He was pleasantly surprised when he saw that Gregor had lowered access ramps, making the transition from bus to ground easy.

* * *

When Percy, Gregor and Mr Brunner caught up to the rest of the class, it was just before the entrance to the Greek and Roman exhibit. The class was waiting, Percy assumed for Mr Brunner, with Mrs Dodds standing right by the entrance.

As Mr Brunner wheeled to the front, Percy and Gregor hung back until they were at the end of the group. Grover was still carrying Mrs Dodds's bag and Percy grimaced at the sight. His friend looked sick and whenever Mrs Dodds approached him he would flinch and close his eyes until she passed. Considering that he was holding her bag, this happened quite often.

"Now, class, are you excited to really begin our field trip?" Mr Brunner asked enthusiastically. He received a few mumbles of affirmation. Not being perturbed, the wheelchair bound Latin teacher started on the tour. "Before we enter the Greek and Roman exhibit, can anyone tell me where we are right now?"

He looked around the class. For a few moments, no one had their hands up and everyone avoided the teacher's gaze when suddenly, from right beside Percy, Gregor raised his hand. "The Vikings, sir?" He ended lamely, suddenly losing his confidence because of suddenly being the center of attention.

"Correct, Mr Walden. 10 points to Gry… sorry, I got a bit overexcited." Mr Brunner smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. The class laughed, at least those who got the reference. Nancy looked at the others blankly. Really Nancy?! You don't know Harry Potter?!

"Right, now, we're in the Norse section. The Norse are particularly known for the Vikings, and similar to the Greeks and Romans, their gods." He gestured to a stone tablet. "This tablet shows a Viking berserker. A warrior that channels their rage and fury into battle, making them fierce soldiers. They are associated with Odin whom the Vikings called the Allfather."

Gregor tensed at the mention of berserkers. Percy, who noticed his sudden tension, probably because of his ADHD – he found his mind wandering since Mr Brunner began – glanced at Gregor. He looked understanding, like he knew what it felt like to be a berserker.

"But enough of the Vikings and the Norse. We're here to learn about the Greeks and the Romans." He opened his arms in a grand gesture. "Let us proceed." He smiled encouragingly at the class, then spun his wheelchair around and entered the Greek and Roman exhibit.

* * *

With Brunner at the front, Mrs Dodds waited for the students to pass by before she followed at the tail end of the class. She had let Grover go after Mr Brunner's side lecture on the Norse and Percy went up to his friend at the front of the class, effectively putting the most distance between him and the hag. Percy and Gregor got separated when he braved the wave of students.

"Hey Grover. Sorry about the Mrs Dodds thing." Percy said to his friend as he caught up. "You should've let me sit next to her. I wouldn't have min… scratch that… I would have minded but I'd do it for a friend."

Grover looked like a deer caught in headlights. "Tha – its fine, Percy. Thank you, but I can't keep being a burden on you all the time. You won't always be there to protect me." Grover smiled at his friend. 'Even though I'm the one protecting you most of the time, even if you don't know it, I am grateful that you care."

"You're not a burden Grover. I have your back and you have mine. We're friends."

Grover's eyes burned. He nodded and Percy patted him on the shoulder. "C'mon, let's go listen to Mr Brunner."

Mr Brunner was obviously really enthusiastic about being here. He was already energetic during class, but today he looked like a kid in a candy store.

"The Greeks were very religious people, and they attuned most of their lives with their gods. That is why when we're learning about the Greeks, it is inevitable that we learn of their Gods." He waved his hand gesturing to a painted vase. "The gods: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Ares, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Hermes and Dionysus. The twelve Olympian gods. Questions so far?"

"What about Hades?" A boy wearing a black shirt, black pants and black Nikes asked.

Mr Brunner looked like Christmas had come early. "Wonderful question Mr Wolfe. Hades is the oldest son of Kronos. When he and his siblings – that is Hestia, Poseidon, Demeter and Hera – were swallowed by their father, it was Zeus that tricked Kronos into regurgitating them. The war between the gods and the titans commenced with the gods coming out victorious. The three sons split the earth between themselves, the sky going to Zeus, the seas and oceans to Poseidon, and the underworld to Hades. The earth itself, being the domain of Gaia, could not be claimed, but she left it to the three, making the earth a shared domain."

"And how does that explain why Hades isn't an Olympian?" The boy asked.

"I was getting to that. Hades, as the oldest son, was the rightful successor, but when the war ended he agreed to split the world amongst his brothers as I said before. Zeus, as the one who defeated Kronos, was crowned king of the gods, while Hades, albeit the rightful successor, was feared by the rest of the gods. Because of this fear he was hardly invited to Mount Olympus and instead resided in the Underworld, in his domain. It is said that Hades only comes to Olympus during the Winter Solstice, the darkest day of the year."

The boy frowned at this. "That's not fair. He was the one who was supposed to be king. Why was he the one who was effectively exiled?"

Mr Brunner thought for a moment. "You are correct, of course. Hades should have been treated better by the other gods, but it was Hades himself who chose to reside in the Underworld. He could have visited Mt Olympus, he didn't need an invitation, but he followed what others thought and did what they believed he should do." Brunner braced himself and closed his eyes, like he was waiting for something to happen. When a few moments passed and nothing happened, Brunner turned a questioning look to Mrs Dodds.

The pre-algebra teacher shrugged in his direction and gave him a 'That's what I've been telling him' look. Brunner chuckled at the look and continued.

"But Hades got everything under the earth. That included all the precious metals and gems. He was the richest god, far richer than any Olympian."

At these words, an image flashed in Percy's mind. It was of a large, extravagant loft apartment. It would have cost a fortune and the people who owned it must have been loaded, richer that any of his classmates.

Just as sudden as it appeared, the image was gone and Percy was left staring at the hole it left behind in his mind.

* * *

A few minutes later, the class ended up in front of a stone wall carving of a man fighting a whale-horse-like sea monster. The man was Greek armor, there were wings on his feet and a sword in his hand. There were people, some in the water, holding on for dear life, others on the shore, looking like they were praying. In the middle, chained to a rock, was a woman.

"Can anyone tell me what this shows?" Mr Brunner asked. No one in the class replied. Brunner looked right at Percy. "Mr Jackson?"

"Umm…. "He didn't know the answer. He was looking around, hoping for the correct response to appear when his eyes caught sight of writing at the bottom of the carving. To Percy's surprise, the symbols rearranged themselves into English, and he could read it even with his dyslexia. "It's about Perseus fighting the sea monster. Andromeda" at this Percy pointed at the woman in chains "was supposed to be a sacrifice.

Mr Brunner gave him a speculative look. "Correct. As Mr Jackson said, Perseus, on his way home after slaying the gorgon Medusa, encountered a sea monster and Andromeda who was to be sacrificed…"

Percy tuned the teacher out. He was thinking about the writing again. Was that normal? Or was his dyslexia getting so bad that he could suddenly read Greek? A fluke? There was also something else, a feeling maybe, that what the carving portrayed was false. It didn't happen that way, but what did Percy know? He was just a kid.

His eyes were now darting around, his ADHD acting up. He noticed a pair of busts half hidden behind a stele. He glanced at Mr Brunner. The teacher was excitedly explaining to the class. He wouldn't notice if Percy slipped away for a bit.

He started to drift away from the group slowly, but Grover noticed. He was about to ask Percy what he was doing but the boy gestured for Grover to stay quiet and follow. Glancing at Mr Brunner then at Mrs Dodds, who was staring at a statue of Hades and Persephone, Grover followed.

When they were in front of the busts, their jaws dropped. It was Percy. The sculpture was in his exact likeness, if not a bit older (and of course stone). It was part of a pair, the other bust being a sculpture of a woman.

While Grover stared at the Percy look-a-like, the actual Percy was looking at the woman intently. She seemed familiar to Percy, like she should have been someone she knew. He studied the woman's symmetrical face and high cheekbones.

An image once more flashed in his mind and Percy closed his eyes. It wasn't a complete image this time, more like fragments. It was of long, flowing raven black hair. Then the image changed, this time of violet eyes. The image then changed for the last time – that of a wistful smile amidst various cuts and bruises.

With a start, Percy opened his eyes and felt tears streaming down his face. What was that? He didn't know, but now Percy couldn't forget. When he closed his eyes he could see bright glowing amethyst eyes staring back.

"Man! Look at that! It's you!" Grover grabbed onto Percy's shoulder, turning the boy to face the sculpture of him. It was then that the satyr noticed the tears on his friends face. He furrowed his brow, worried. "Perce. Why are you crying?"

"Huh…" Percy looked at him blankly. "Oh… right…" He wiped off the tears with the bottom of his shirt. "Sorry… it's just…" he pointed at the sculpture of the woman "it's that thing…" he chuckled. "Weird."

"Are you sure you're alright." Percy nodded. Grover gave him a worried look and grabbed him by the arm. "C'mon Percy. Let's get back to the rest of them before the teachers noticed."

With that, the two friends rejoined the class, neither teacher having noticed that they had even left.

* * *

A.N.

Done! Geez, writing conversations are so hard. How did I do?

So, mostly setup in this chapter, and a bit of foreshadowing. I don't know if I'll use all the setups I'd made in this chapter, but it would be better to have an option, right? I wouldn't want to pull new plots from out of nowhere.

I feel like I didn't give justice to Chaos. I was going for the scatter-brained, silly yet powerful being. I hope that he gives off that kind of vibe.

Kudos to those that recognized the different references in this chapter.

So, it's 4:30am as I'm posting this, so bye guys! See you next chapter!


	4. Dodging a Bullet of Fate by Virtue of a

Percy Jackson and Andromeda's Lament

A.N.

Thanks to all those who reviewed! I'm happy that you like this story! Thank you all!

Special thanks to TheYOLOMan, that long review really made my week!

This is my first fanfic. I appreciate reviews, constructive criticism and flames, but please be gentle. English is not my first language so please bear with any mistakes in using the English language and any geographical mistakes.

I don't own Percy Jackson or anything else. All I own is the plot and I'm not even sure that I do. (Do I own the plot?)

On with the story.

* * *

Chapter 3: Dodging a Bullet of Fate by Virtue of a Hot Woman

"…thus, Prometheus, the Titan of Forethought, was punished by Zeus for giving the gift of fire to man." Mr Brunner gestured to a pottery painting. "He was chained to a rock, rendered helpless as an eagle came every day to eat his liver. Every night his liver would regenerate, making his punishment endless. That is until the hero Heracles…"

The Latin teacher continued explaining as Percy and Grover slipped back into the group. They were lucky as neither teacher seemed to notice their short disappearance. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts of violet eyes framed by black hair, Percy noticed Mrs Dodds looking right at him. He turned his head right away and pretended not to notice.

"Pssst… Grover…" He whispered to his friend who was by now listening intently to Brunner. "I think Mrs Dodds saw us slip away."

Grover glanced in Mrs Dodds's direction and quickly snapped his head back to the front. He looked terrified. "Yeah… I… think she did…" He said, his voice cracking. He gulped, then tried to listen to Mr Brunner again, trying his best not to whimper.

Percy copied his friend, refusing to look at Mrs Dodds. He was wondering why the hellish woman wasn't trying to punish them. He was expecting detention at least. 'Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, Percy. Let it be.' He thought to himself.

"What's up with him?"

Percy looked in the direction of the voice. It was Gregor. He nodded at Grover, who was shaking in fright and looked like he was ready to bolt any second.

"I saw something interesting back there." Percy nodded in the direction of the busts. "Tried to slip away to get closer. Grover joined me. We saw what was there then got back here and everything seemed alright 'til I noticed Mrs Dodds looking right at us. I told Grover and then…" I gestured to Grover.

Gregor nodded. Grover's fear of Mrs Dodds was a well-known fact. "I hope it was worth it. Grover's gonna be like that for a while."

"It was."

At this point, Mr Brunner reached the end of his lecture on Prometheus. Percy didn't know why but the Latin teacher grimaced a bit about the part where Chiron, the centaur who trained all the great heroes, sacrificed his immortality for Prometheus.

"Now, Lunch! We meet back at the entrance to the Greek and Roman exhibit in one hour." Mr Brunner shouted above the increasing chatter of hungry 12 year olds. "Remember, one hour!"

* * *

Percy, Gregor and a scared shitless Grover waited for the wave of students to pass before going outside. Their classmates were rowdy and annoying as they got out. The girls were gossiping and giggling about every nude statue they passed while the boys were acting like doofuses, pushing each other around and laughing loudly.

Grimacing at the sight of his classmates, Percy watched as Nancy tried to pocket an ancient clay bowl before being glared at by the security. The girl walked away slowly and joined into the group, acting like she didn't do anything wrong.

Smirking at the scene, Percy's green eyes once more went in the direction of the busts of his look-alike and the woman. He could just see the sculpture peeking out from behind the stele. There was a woman who was walking towards that direction.

The woman had platinum blonde hair that went up to her shoulder blades. She was wearing a smart black suit jacket thrown over a teal coloured blouse that barely stretched across her large chest and a short black pencil skirt that ended 10 cm above the knee. Thigh-high stockings topped with black lace hugged her legs and a pair of 2-inch black heels that made her long legs look like they went on for miles finished up her ensemble. Although Percy couldn't see her face from his angle, he knew that she was beautiful with soft features and big blue doe eyes.

Gregor elbowed Percy in the side. "Hey, isn't that Principal Black?"

Percy nodded. It was indeed their principal, Astra Black, who was known for her youth, beauty and wealth. Despite this, she had almost no suitors as her eccentricity and childishness always shone brightly whenever you spoke with her. It was especially obvious to Percy as she seemed especially exuberant when they were together.

When Percy visited her office – which, admittedly, was quite often – the woman always offered him some strange food like raw celery or fish fingers in custard sauce. Once, he even saw a whole pig roast on her table!

Also, there were strange trinkets in her office that changed frequently. In all of Percy's visits, he never saw the same bauble twice. Once he saw a human skull perched on Principal Black's desk. Another time, Percy saw two 4-foot swords that were hung on the wall behind the desk. Most recently, a toy train set was in her office that took up most of the floor. Percy had to manoeuvre himself through a maze of train tracks to get to his seat on that particular visit. Of course, with Percy being Percy, he tripped on the way and ended up face first onto Principal Black's bountiful bosom. Good thing she was cool about it and just laughed it off.

Even though she was weird, she was a good at her job. That is, unless Percy was around. He had some kind of effect on her that made her childishness rise exponentially. As the principal, she handled a lot of the administrative duties of the school but she seemed to have taken a liking to Percy, his penchant for trouble in particular. Usually, the teachers or the guidance counsellor handled disciplinary action, but when Percy got in trouble, he was always sent to the principal or if unlucky, to Mrs Dodds, but mostly to the principal. And, these meetings were usually composed of Percy and Principal Black listening to the offended party, affirming them that she would take action and giving Percy punishment that was akin to a slap on the wrist.

The rest of the time that should have been spent on his punishment was used for trading stories, with the principal laughing whenever Percy finished a particularly outrageous one. When Percy told the story of him 'accidentally' causing an unplanned swim on his 4th Grade fieldtrip to the Sea World Shark Pool, the principal had gone quiet. He thought he was in trouble, he was sweating so much that a print of his butt should have been on the seat until Principal Black gave an unladylike snort and started guffawing. Percy just smiled and laughed along awkwardly.

"Let's go say hi." Percy said and proceeded to go to the said woman. She was right in front of the sculptures by now and she was staring intently at the bust that looked like Percy. Looking at the woman now, Percy thought that she looked different from usual, more serious. Her look disappeared however when Gregor greeted the woman.

"Ah. Hello Percy, good to see you… you too Mr Underwood… and… "She looked at Gregor intently. "…Mr Walden, was it?" Gregor nodded. "Yes… one of our scholarship students that go home daily instead of staying in the school dorms…"

"Yes ma'am." Gregor affirmed.

Gregor's family, you see, had money troubles. Percy had some too, but not as much Gregor. His dad disappeared for two years and when he came back he was sick and had some PTSD. Gregor, who was 9 at the time his father disappeared, stepped up as the man of the house and took care of his two younger sisters and his gran while his mom worked. Now that his dad was back, they had one more mouth to feed as he was still recovering and couldn't work just yet. Luckily for Gregor, Yancy offered him a full scholarship that would get him in for free, including meals but still allowing him to go home every night to help around the house. Percy tried to get a similar deal, paying for tuition while getting to go home nightly, but his mom convinced him not too, not because she didn't want him – his mom loved him, he was sure – but because of Gabe.

"Hey, Principal Black! What are you doing here?" Percy asked bluntly.

The principal blinked at him, then pouted. For a grown woman, she pouted a lot, Percy noticed. "Percy! How many times do I have to tell you? We've spent hours together and we're friends! Call me Astra!"

"Sorry… sorry… princ-"She raised her eyebrow. "I mean, Astra. Sorry, Astra." Percy corrected as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. At the mention of her name she smiled brightly at Percy and he felt his heart skip a beat. What? She was an attractive older woman, and Percy was a young pubescent boy.

"That's better. Now, as for your question, I was supposed to come with you from the beginning but I had a bout of inspiration earlier today at 3:00am and I just felt the need to paint. Here…" she brought out her camera phone. On it was a picture of a painting of a muscled old man with a bare top in black and white. He was wearing glasses and he had a white goatee. The man was holding a drumstick of fried chicken in each hand as me flexed his muscles.

"Is that… Colonel Sanders?" Grover, who up until that moment unaware of everything piped up. He looked at the camera phone with disbelieving eyes. "You woke up at 3:00 in the morning… to paint a muscled Colonel Sanders?"

Gregor had his jaw wide open. Percy was laughing his ass off.

"Yeah!" Astra gave a million dollar smile. "Great, isn't it?!"

Percy by this point was on the ground, laughing. Hearing Astra's most recent words, he picked himself off the ground and gave the beaming woman a thumbs up. "Yeah…" He said, now trying for a serious face – and failing miserably.

Seeing that Percy couldn't hold back his mirth, Gregor stepped in. He tried to complement the painting seriously but ended up saying the words in between giggles. "It's… wonderful… Principal Black… truly a… masterpiece…" He covered up his mouth after he finished, trying his best not to outright laugh.

The woman puffed up her chest, making Percy stop his laughter and stare at her… bountiful assets…, and gave them a proud look. "I know. It's one of my best works. Here, look at this, I painted this a week ago. The idea came to mind in the middle of the night and I couldn't not paint it!"

She flipped through the camera phone for a bit before showing them an image. This time it was of a landscape. A cliff face overlooking the ocean. A figure was on the edge of the cliff, facing the sea. Behind the figure was a forest and right at the edge there was a creature. It had a head and body of a lion, a goat head protruding from its back and a serpent for a tail. It was a Chimera.

Looking at the painting, the skill of the artist was obvious. If Percy knew anything about art he would have commented on the wonderful strokes Astra made. However, he was busy reliving another memory of his dream. This time, it was of the girl – the one from before, only this time he was sure that she looked like the bust of the woman – on a crest of a hill, an army of monsters – a Manticore in particular –behind her. In a flash the memory ended and Percy was left staring at the picture on the camera phone.

The other two were busy admiring the painting so they didn't notice their friend's reaction.

"Wow! That's amazing Principal Black. Is that a chimera?!" Grover was the first to comment on the painting. "It looks so real!"

Astra nodded. "See. Isn't it appropriate for the field trip?"

The boys all agreed.

"But principal, have you seen the bust?" Grover asked. The woman looked down at her chest and pointed to it giving Grover a questioning look. The boys blushed and Grover pointed at the sculpture that looked like Percy. Astra's face lit up in an 'aha' kind of moment.

"Yes actually. I thought I saw a familiar face earlier so I came by here and started talking to Percy." She patted the sculpture on the head. "It took a while for me to notice that it wasn't Percy." She rapped her knuckles on her head and stuck her tongue out. Percy thought that it was cute, even though Astra was a grown woman and such actions should have been embarrassing. "It's just that I was so excited and Percy was right there and…"

Astra would have gone on for a while if Percy hadn't intervened. "Yes… we get it Astra… You were excited…"

Astra gave Percy a smile and stopped talking.

Gregor, on the other hand, just noticed the sculptures and was goggling at the Percy look-alike. "Perce…"

"Yeah Greg?"

"That… that's you!?" Gregor exclaimed like it was the most amazing thing in the world.

"Yeah Greg. It looks like me…"

"No man… I mean… isn't that you?!"

"No… it just looks like me… I mean… it can't really be me, can it?"

Looking at Gregor's astounded face, Astra let out a soft giggle. It was like the tinkling of bells and both boys stopped what they were doing and turned to face her. She was covering her mouth with the back of her hand and her doe eyes were twinkling with mirth.

"What?" Percy asked of the woman, a smile taking over his face. The woman's laugh was infectious and Percy always found himself laughing along whenever the woman laughed at his stories in his supposed-to-be detentions.

Astra let out another giggle before replying. "It's just… Mr Walden's face… it's…" and the woman broke off because she started laughing in earnest.

Percy looked at the woman for a moment before he too started laughing along. The other boys, Grover and Gregor, just stared at the two like they were insane (maybe they were).

It took a minute or two or maybe five before the two stopped laughing. Wiping at her eyes, which had gone teary from all the laughing, Astra then asked what they were doing here. "Shouldn't you be with the group?"

Percy nodded. "Yeah… It's lunchtime, but when we were waiting for the others to pass, we saw you and decided to go say hi. Speaking of which, we gotta go… lunch's about to end and we haven't eaten anything yet. C'mon Grover…" Grabbing Grover's arm, Percy started pulling his friend towards the doors. "you too Greg, join me and the G-man for lunch!"

Gregor nodded and started to join them when the Principal called out. "Wait!"

The three boys stopped in their tracks and turned to their Principal. She was rummaging around her coat pocket.

"Yes ma'am?" Grover asked.

She gestured them to get closer with one hand while the other was still searching for something in her pocket. "Aha!" From her pocket she brought out a yellow bag of jelly babies and handed them to Gregor. Rummaging in her other pocket, she took a while before she once again brought out something, this time a bunch of bananas, and handed it to Grover. "Here. As thanks for saying hi!"

"Hey Astra… what about me!" Percy whined petulantly.

Astra smiled at him. "Don't think I've forgotten about you sweetie." Reaching into her blouse, she pulled out a foot long baguette and a tub of butter.

Percy and the others gaped at the woman. "How did that even fit in there?" Percy asked as he looked at the woman's chest unashamedly. It hadn't changed a bit and it was still as big and full as ever.

Looking at their amazed faces, Astra laughed again at them. Giving Percy the baguette and the tub of butter – which Percy blushed at as it was still warm – she winked at the blushing boy before she walked away. The three boys were rooted to the spot as they watched their hot but admittedly weird principal walk away, her hips swinging alluringly. As Astra turned the corner, the boys saw her once again reach into her blouse and pull out a corndog and started munching on it.

"Yeah…" Percy started. "I know she's hot as hell, but damn that's weird."

The two other boys could only nod in the affirmative.

"Language, Percy." And that was Grover.

* * *

The three boys found a spot by the fountain for lunch. Half an hour had already passed and they had another half before they needed to meet up again in front of the Greek and Roman exhibit.

Grover brought out the enchiladas that he had bought earlier while Gregor had a paper bag containing a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Percy had to fight off the other two boys as they tried to get a piece of his still warm baguette, courtesy of Astra. He smeared a generous amount of butter on the crust of the baguette before eating it whole, not even bothering to break it up into smaller pieces.

"ish deshush" Percy said through a mouthful of bread.

Grover gave a snort. "Of course it would be. How's Principal Black taste?"

Percy choked on the bread as he heard Grover's comment. He started coughing, trying to get the food out of his pipes when he felt a hand firmly slapping his back. He looked to his left and saw Gregor give him a worried look.

"Thanks Greg…" Percy heard him mumble a reply and turned to Grover. "You! What the hell are you saying?!" He looked around. "D'you think anyone heard?"

Grover shook his head. "We're ten feet away from anyone else. The closest person is Nancy and she's off trying to pickpocket off of that old man! Of course no one heard!"

Looking around once more, Percy did see that they were far enough from anyone else that their conversation would be private. He looked at Nancy. She was trying to steal a guy's wallet while Mrs Dodd's was staring at them. Of course, she didn't do anything as she thought that Nancy was a 'nice girl.'

"Yeah… okay… still… don't say things like that man, I almost choked to death!"

Grover looked bashful. He nodded his head in affirmative and continued to eat his enchiladas. Gregor, who had already finished with his sandwich was looking observing their classmates. They were playing some sort of game where the boys chased the girls while the girls screamed as they ran away. All in all, they looked stupid. Mr Brunner was parked by the stairs near the museum entrance listening to music on his headphones and reading a book while enjoying his lunch.

When Grover and Percy finished with their lunch, Grover brought out the bananas that Astra gave them. He handed one to Percy and Gregor and proceeded to peel his. Percy looked at his banana, shrugged, and did so as well. Gregor decided to pocket his banana for later.

"So Gregor," Percy said. "You gonna give those jelly things to your sisters?"

"Yeah. It's been awhile since I gave them a treat. Think they'll like 'em?" He asked Percy in turn.

"'Course they would. You know, I admire you're dedication to your family." Percy said. "I'm an only child, and my stepdad' a dick, so really it's only my mom and me but I've always felt like I was just a burden to her." He looked out into the city, where his mom should be right now. "You though, you stepped up when your family needed you. You're a great son and a great brother. I only wish I was half as good a son as you."

The brown haired Gregor blushed at Percy's words. He hadn't had anyone complement him like that… well, anyone other than his friends down below. Percy's words seemed like they were heartfelt and there was a longing look in his eye that Gregor saw as he looked out into the city.

"Y'know, I admire you too Percy." Percy's head snapped back to look at Gregor. "You know the way you don't bow down to just anyone. People had to earn your respect first like Mr Brunner. I know you respect him, but I also know that you don't respect someone like… I don't know… Mrs Dodds because she doesn't do anything to deserve respect." At this Gregor looked to Grover as if passing a torch.

"Yeah Perce. Unlike me. I'm always such a coward. I'm not brave like you are." Grover finished as Gregor gave him a nod as if saying 'good work.'

Percy looked grateful at his two friends, because that was what they were now, friends, even if he wasn't all that close to Gregor until today. "Thanks guys. But Grover, you're really kind. That's something I'd always admired about you. And the fact that even with your crutches, they don't hold you back and you're not treating them like a handicap… that's really…"

"Well well… what do we have here?" A voice interrupted Percy mid-sentence. "A bunch of pricks having a circle jerk." Nancy cackled evilly as she just insulted all three of us at the same time. "So Gregor, you decided to join the two doofuses over there in their love nest!"

Percy had been feeling good about himself until Nancy showed up. Last time he checked, she was busy pickpocketing some guy and now suddenly she was insulting them. Really Nancy? Do you have a condition that makes you constantly annoying?

"Back off Nancy!" Percy said to her in a quietly dangerous manner. She ignored him and continued her jeering.

"Are you going to join them later tonight? Hmmm?" She said, dragging out the syllable. "Maybe Grover'll use his crutches on you? Let's see if you can walk tomorrow?" She laughed as she finished. Some of her ugly friends noticed the commotion and started laughing with her, even if they didn't know what they were laughing about. They were that stupid.

Percy felt a dark sensation pass through him. He was so mad right now. The good feeling from earlier seemed to make his anger even more prominent as he had never been this affected by Nancy's insults before, or maybe it was just because she was insulting his new friend. He heard a roaring in his ears and a soft screeching sound, like the sound of nails on a chalkboard but from a few classrooms away.

Darkness fell upon his vision for a moment and when he could see again Nancy was sitting in the fountain, drenched from head to toe.

She screamed. "Ahhhh! Percy! Percy pushed me!" Then the crocodile tears started falling.

"No I didn't!" Percy yelled back. He was sure he didn't. He didn't even move!

Grover looked shocked and nervous and he was looking between Mr Brunner and Mrs Dodds, like he was waiting for something to happen and was watching out for the teachers. Gregor stood, blinking rapidly like he couldn't believe what he just saw.

As Mrs Dodds started coming over and Grover was starting to panic, but someone got to them first.

"Hey there kid. You shouldn't push people into the fountain like that." It was the man Nancy was trying to steal off of. He was looking at Percy funny, like he had been waiting for an opportunity that had just presented itself. He made a grab for Percy's arm, but his hand was intercepted at the wrist by a leather clad woman.

"Can I ask you not to touch my students?" Mrs Dodds asked in a sugary sweet voice. The man looked at the pre-algebra teacher with disbelieving eyes. "Step away sir."

The man snarled and Percy swore he saw sharp rows of teeth. Mrs Dodds simply kept her creepy smile and the man slowly started to back off. As the man got out of sight, Mrs Dodds turned to Percy. "Now honey…"

Percy knew he was in trouble. The voice kind of gave it away. He was resigned to his fate when another interruption arrived.

"Ah… Percy! There you are. Come with me." Astra said as she appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Then noticing Nancy in the fountain. "Ms Bobofit? What are you doing in the fountain? An odd place for a bath, is it not?" She asked Nancy seriously and if you knew her you would know that she was a hundred percent serious. With those words, the tension in Percy was released and he let out a soft chuckle. He just felt like he dodged a bullet.

"Mrs Dodds, please see to Ms Bobofit." Pulling out her wallet from her coat pocket, Astra handed the teacher a hundred dollar bill like it was nothing. "Here. Buy her a new shirt from the gift shop." Then she grabbed my hand and intertwined my fingers with hers. "Now come on Percy. Let's go see the dinosaurs!"

As they walked towards the museum entrance, Percy could hear his classmates murmur to each other.

"Did you see that? The water? Like it grabbed her?"

"It was the shadows! They flickered for a second and then she was in the water!"

Looking straight ahead and trying to ignore both his classmates and his own racing thoughts, Percy focused on the feel of Astra's soft hand in his. Admittedly, it was an effective distraction as Percy found himself feeling more conscious of the hot principal beside him instead of the crowd around them.

"Oh… and Mr Brunner! Percy and I will catch up with the class later. Don't wait for us!" Mr Brunner could only nod as his star student was dragged away by his boss.

With that, the two of them, student and principle, left a still murmuring and gaping crowd of students and teachers behind.

* * *

"Thanks for the save, Astra." Percy said as he tried to get his hand back from the principal. She didn't budge and her grip actually tightened on his hand.

"Mou… what are you talking about Percy?!" Astra said, a pout on her face. "We gotta go see the dinosaurs!" She walked onwards, pulling Percy along by his hand. "I'm thinking about having a pterodactyl replica hung in my office!"

"Wait, you were serious about that?" Percy could hardly believe it. Wait… actually he could. He knew this woman and despite her overwhelming hotness, he knew that she really was just a kid at heart. Last time he had been in her office for their regular talks – the time with the train set – she had been talking about how she wanted something new in her office. Guess she decided on a dinosaur skeleton. "Okay then, come on." He started walking on his own, easily catching up to the woman so they now walked side by side.

Astra squealed happily and turned to give Percy a hug but given their height differences, with Astra being 5'8 with 2 inch heels on and Percy being 5'3, his face ended up buried in her large breasts. With Astra holding Percy tight to her chest, the boy started choking as he was suffocated in the best way possible.

"Can't… breathe…" He managed to say between Astra's breasts. 'What a way to go though.' He thought.

"Oh… sorry Percy…" She immediately let go of the boy and he dropped to the floor like a sack of potatoe. He wasn't moving and his eyes were closed, but she could see his face and he was smiling stupidly. Crouching down, she poked his cheek with her index finger. "Um… hello? Percy? Are you asleep? I don't think the ground's very comfortable…" She bit on her lower lip." at least…" She then knelt on the ground and placed Percy's head in her lap.

Percy was in heaven. He had been squashed between two large marshmallows and died and now he was in heaven. The ground he was laying on was hard, but he felt a few pokes on his cheek before a soft, warm pillow under his head appeared. Inhaling deeply, he caught the scent of orange and rose petals. He felt something softly brush his hair and he sighed in contentment.

If a stranger were to walk in he would have been greeted with a strange sight. A sexy blonde woman was giving a dark-haired boy a lap pillow, right in the middle of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The woman would have been softly brushing the boy's hair away from his face while the boy had a stupid smile on his face.

Thankfully, no strangers entered and Percy managed to pull himself together. He opened his eyes and found clear blue orbs staring right back. He scrambled to his feet, putting distance between himself and Astra. The woman in question was still on the floor, looking at Percy with pout as if saying 'Aw… why'd you move?'

"Geez… woman, you'll be the death of me…" Percy grumbled as he reached his hand out for Astra to help her up. Smiling at him mischievously, Astra took his hand and pulled him down once more, laying his head back on her lap.

"Just a bit more, Percy… I'm comfortable like this." Astra leaned forward a bit until her hair formed a curtain around Percy's face, separating them from the rest of the world.

Percy gave her a look. "Really? You're comfortable kneeling on the floor?" Nonetheless, Percy closed his eyes and took a deep breath, the scent of orange and rose petals once again filling his senses.

Astra herself closed her eyes and just enjoyed the feel of Percy's head in her lap and his soft raven locks running through her fingers. "Mmhhmm."

A few minutes passed with the two of them simply enjoying the comfortable silence. Their breathing were the only sounds in the room. That is, until, someone cleared their throat and the atmosphere was broken as Percy remembered that they were sitting on the floor of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Percy sat up like he was hit by lightning, his head smashing into Astra's, who was still leaning forward slightly. Simultaneous yells of "ow" reverberated around the room, as well as the chuckling of a man in a wheelchair.

"Percy…. That hurt…" Astra complained, holding a hand up to her forehead.

Percy himself was also holding his head in his hands. "I know… I felt it too…"

"Percyyyyy…" Astra continued, dragging out his name. She pointed at her forehead showing Percy the small bump that had formed. "Kiss it better…."

Percy made the mistake of looking at the woman. Her pout was in full force and adding the puppy dog eyes, he almost did what she asked. Thankfully, or not depending on who you ask, a voice broke the trance that he was in.

"As amusing as this is, I doubt the students would like to see this blatant flirting between student and principal." Mr Brunner said with an amused smile on his face.

Remembering that they were not in fact alone, Percy scrambled away from the woman and stood up hurriedly. He looked at his teacher and blushed, embarrassed to have been caught in such a position.

"Percyyyyy…" Astra whined. She stretched her arms out, like she was reaching for Percy. Sighing in exasperation, he reached his hand out, allowed the woman to latch on as he pulled her to her feet. Brushing herself off with her free hand – she didn't bother letting go of Percy's hand – the Principal faced her employee. "Mr Brunner? What are you doing here? Is it time already?"

Mr Brunner made a show of checking his watch. "Why, Principal Black, it's already a few minutes past our scheduled time."

Astra looked honestly shocked at the news. "Really?" At Mr Brunner's patient nod, Astra turned to her favourite student. "C'mon Percy… the dinosaurs! You've gotta help me pick! Mr Brunner, we'll meet up with the class later… when you're already in the Greek and Roman exhibit."

Pulling Percy by the wrist, the excited woman nearly ran to the natural history exhibit of the museum. Sighing as he did so, Percy let himself be lead forward, following Astra to the amusement of his Latin teacher.

"Ah… Percy, my boy… so young and already you have been faced with the female species."

Chuckling to himself, the wheelchair bound man waved the all clear to Grover and Gregor, who were watching from the entrance and laughing softly to themselves. They in turn signalled to the class waiting outside and together they once again entered the museum.

Astra and Percy reached the natural history exhibit about a minute after their encounter with Mr Brunner. Astra was all but running towards their destination, but Percy kept a tight hold on her and she managed only a brisk walking pace.

"Wow!" Astra exclaimed as they got their first look at the giant dinosaur fossils. They were looking at a flying type of dinosaur, a pterodactyl that was hung from the ceiling. "Look at that Percy. It's so big, but it could fly!" She pointed at the dinosaur. "What do you think? Would something like that look good in my office?"

Percy thought about it. He imagined the Principal's office as he last remembered it looked like. It was a large office, big enough to fit a full grown elephant with room to spare. The walls were coloured a nice cool blue – though it frequently changed so Percy wasn't sure what colour it was now. He imagined all the different knick knacks scattered all over the office – the human skull, the crossed long swords, the plate of medieval armour, the shopping mannequins that modelled traditional clothes of various countries – and thought that a pterodactyl replica would fit in nicely.

"Yeah… I think it would fit in nicely." Percy said to the woman who was currently bouncing around in excitement. His eyes were drawn to the two balloons bouncing enticingly with her movements.

She smiled happily at him and wrapped her arms around his one arm and pulled her around the exhibit looking at all the dinosaurs and extinct animals.

The next dinosaur that they saw was a gigantic life-like replica of a tyrannosaurus Rex and they were both amazed at the sheer size of the apex predator. It had a large head, big hind legs and small forelegs. Its tail was as long as its body and it looked like it could send Percy flying a hundred feet if he got hit by it.

Before Percy could pull the woman away – he knew that big scary things and Astra combined meant trouble – Astra already turned to him, her teeth bared in what she probably meant as a savage grin but to Percy looked cute. "Rawr! I'm a T-Rex!"

Percy just laughed at the sight.

Astra pouted at him. "Percy… why are you laughing?! Dinosaurs are supposed to be scary… I mean… look at those teeth! They're so big!" She pointed at the dinosaur's head, specifically at its mouth where Percy saw row upon row of teeth.

He felt lightheaded when he saw the teeth. He was reminded of a similar sight, one that he buried in the recesses of his subconscious. It was a memory of when he was younger, when he and his mom were in Montauk for the weekend.

Percy had gone off to wander for a bit while his mother was preparing dinner. He was walking along the beach when he suddenly heard a roaring sound coming from further up the beach. Being a curious child, he went closer and saw what made the noise.

He smelled the beast before he saw it. The air smelled of vomit and raw fish making Percy gag. Still, the boy went on, wondering what could make such a terrible smell. Percy caught his first glimpse of the monster as he passed a cluster of rocks. Immediately, the boy dived back under cover, hoping that he wasn't spotted by the beast.

To Percy, it looked like a dragon. Its body was being held up by four legs the size of tree trunks. Green scales covered its body and it had a long crocodile-like tail. Long, sharp looking spines lined its back and tail. Its head was almost snake-like – long and flexible that ended in the creature's head. Furthermore, it had two necks protruding from its body, thus the monster had two heads. Each head had sharp rows of teeth.

He remembered running away in terror, sprinting through the beach to the arms of his mother. He begged and pleaded for them to leave, tears streaming down his face. They left Montauk not an hour later.

Snapping back to the present, Percy felt Astra shaking him.

"Percyyyy... Are you okay?"

"Yeah…" It was then that Percy realized that he was out of breath, like he had been running a marathon. "I'm… okay… I think I need to sit down for a bit…"

Astra gave him a worried look. She dragged the boy off to a bench beside a stuffed mammoth and pushed him onto the bench. Percy sat down gratefully, already feeling better just from sitting.

"Thanks… Give me a minute before we go look at more stuff, 'kay?"

The woman nodded and sat down next to him. "What was that, Percy?" she asked. "Was it the T-Rex? Was it to scary?"

Normally, Percy would have been annoyed at being accused of being afraid, especially of a stupid stuffed dinosaur. However, it was Astra talking and he knew that she didn't mean anything by it, she simply assumed that it was the case.

"No… it's nothing… just let me rest for a while…" Percy said.

"You can tell me if there's anything wrong. You know that, right?"

Percy nodded. It should have felt weird talking to your school principal about personal matters, but talking to Astra was just like talking to a good friend. "

"Actually… there is something that's been troubling me for a while now…" He started and seeing Astra nod encouragingly, he continued. "I've been having this dream... repeatedly. But I can't remember it. Besides the beginning, everything's a blank. I wake up in the middle of the night and I haven't gotten a good night's sleep in a while. Last night was the first time in months that I slept through the entire night." He took a deep breath. "And then when I wake up I always feel sad. Like I just lost something precious. But that can't be, right? I was only dreaming. And today I'm suddenly remembering my dream, or what I think was my dream, and seeing monsters that want to attack me sometimes when I look at things."

As Percy spoke, Astra just listened quietly. She had on a contemplative look and it was so strange to see Astra that way that Percy stopped talking. "Astra?"

"Huh… oh… Percy…"

"Did you even listen, Astra?"

"Of course I did!" She exclaimed indignantly. "You've been having trouble sleeping because of some recurring dream. And you always forget the dream but you feel sad once it's over. And then today you're suddenly remembering some girl and…"

Percy had been nodding as Astra said what she got from his words but froze when she started talking about the girl. He hadn't mentioned anything about some girl, so how did Astra know about it? He voiced his questions to the woman.

Astra stopped mid-sentence. She opened and closed her mouth a few times like a fish and had a panicked look in her eye. Eventually, she composed herself enough to answer, crossing her arms as she did. "I don't know what you're talking about. What girl?"

She was acting stupid, Percy knew, but when she got like this it was nigh impossible to make her admit to something.

He had had similar experiences with Astra like this, like the time they had tea. Astra had been feeling pretty British one afternoon when Percy was sent to the office – he had called his English teacher an old sod so maybe he was feeling pretty British too. Percy's punishment was decided on as normal and then they did their usual thing of trading stories, but this time over tea. Percy didn't really drink tea, he was more of a soda kind of guy, so when Astra asked him how many sugars, he just shrugged and told her it was up to her. He then watched Astra put in an abnormally large amount of sugar – about 8 teaspoons – in his cup, then she poured another cup for herself and added even more than before! When Percy asked her about her weird tea preference, she just stuck her tongue out and told him that she didn't know what he was talking about.

Knowing this, Percy just gave the woman a suspicious look then let it go. He stood up and without waiting for the woman to follow, started walking around the exhibit once more.

It wasn't long before Astra caught up to him and was once more latching onto his arm like they were on a date through the museum.

* * *

When the pair of Percy and Astra caught up with Mr Brunner and the class, it was nearing the end of the field trip and they were looking at some Greek art depicting the first Olympic Games. The two had left the natural history exhibit a long time ago but ended up looking at other exhibits. They lost track of time on their 3rd exhibit and had just remembered that they were part of a field trip a few minutes ago.

As they got closer to the group, Percy snatched his hand away from Astra's grip. Noticing her pouting, Percy whispered an explanation to her. "Astra… you're the Principal. At least act like it when you're in front of the school."

At his words, Astra pouted even more but nodded reluctantly. "Fine! But I want some Percy time back at campus!"

Percy sighed but nodded in acceptance. It was kinda embarrassing being the principal's pet, but he would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy it. He did have a lot of attention from a very hot woman.

As Astra wandered off to look around, Percy stayed with the class and listened to Mr Brunner's interesting explanations.

"…In 648 BC, a sport reminiscent of today's wrestling was introduced into the Greek Olympic Games. It was called Pankration, a combination of boxing and wrestling, where almost anything goes. Punching, kicking, holds, locks, chokes, everything was allowed. The only things that were not accepted were biting and the gouging of the eyes…"

Percy was listening diligently when Astra approached the front of the group with a radiant smile on her face. Knowing her as well as Percy did, he knew that the woman had just gotten a brilliant idea, or maybe a horrible one. You never really knew with her.

You visibly see the woman change from being Astra to their school principal. She didn't lose her smile and you could see that it was still the same person, but the air that she radiated changed when she was in front of the students. Though when she spotted Percy, a bit of Astra rose to the front as she gave him poked his tongue out at him.

Mr Brunner was in the middle of finishing up his lecture when he noticed his boss approach the front. Giving the woman a kind smile, he rolled his wheelchair to the side, giving space to the woman to do what she wanted.

"The floor is yours, madam Principal."

Astra gave the teacher a bright smile. "Thank you Mr Brunner. And you too, Mrs Dodds." At this she turned her gaze to the said teacher and gave her a grateful smile. "This field trip would not have been possible without you. Let's give them a round of applause, everyone!"

The class broke into applause, some sincere in their gratitude for the teachers while most just did it because the principal told them too. Percy was one of the former as he genuinely liked Mr Brunner and appreciated the effort he put into the field trip.

Once the applause died down, Astra continued. "Now before we all go home, I have a few announcements to make. Since Mr Brunner has so graciously explained to us about the Greek Olympic Games, I had this idea."

Percy knew where this was going and dreaded the following words.

"Let's do our own Greek tournament!" She finished with an enthusiasm that was expectedly not shared by the class. "Of course we can't do it as grandly as the Olympic Games, but we could do a few Greek themed competitions. Maybe swordplay?" She looked at Mr Brunner. "I've seen you carrying some Greek armour and a sword sometimes, Mr Brunner. Maybe you could teach our students a bit to make the games more exciting!"

Mr Brunner was stroking his beard like he was actually thinking about it. "It is possible." He smiled, his mind made up. "Yes… it would be fun." He looked at the students. "And swordplay would be beneficial to our students. Aside from the physical aspect, swordplay is all about focus, concentration and discipline." He gave Astra a nod and a smile. "Yes, principal. It is perfectly possible and I agree."

"But… principal… Mr Brunner's in a wheelchair! How can he possibly teach anyone swordplay!" That was Nancy, being her usual rude self.

Astra turned to her and gave her a frown. "Didn't you hear what Mr Brunner said? It's not just about the physical ability, but the mental and emotional aspects." Then she turned to the whole group. "It's decided then! A swordplay tournament will be held for students who have participated in the field trip to the Greek and Roman Art exhibit." At this statement, the girls groaned while the boys looked excited. Percy figured that the guys thought that it would be fun getting hit with swords.

"Don't worry girls, participation is voluntary." Most of the class, Percy included, let out relieved sighs, even the boys, but that was probably because they didn't want to hit girls. Percy was just grateful that he didn't have to participate. He thought it would be cool to swing around a sword but he didn't want to get mixed up in one of Astra's weird plots – he was involved often enough.

Astra though, had something to say about that. She had seen Percy sigh in relief when she said that participation was voluntary, and she wasn't having him miss out on the fun. "That is, except for Mr Jackson."

"Wh-what?!"

"You missed out on half of the field trip. If you don't participate, you'll fail Latin."

Percy gaped at her. "I missed half of the trip because of you! She can't do this, can she Mr Brunner?"

The said teacher was hoping for Percy to participate. It would have given him an excuse to start training the boy. He caught Grover's eye, who nodded at him. "I'm sorry, Percy, but Principal Black is correct. Participation in the field trip would have been a big part of your final grade. And I know you do try your best Percy, but your C's won't cut it if you'd get only half participation here."

Percy sulked a bit but nodded in understanding. He knew that Mr Brunner probably wouldn't have minded his absence in half the field trip if Astra hadn't pointed it out. Besides, he knew Astra wanted him to join, he could read it on her face.

The principal had more to add. "Now, for prizes!" She looked at the teachers. "The winner gets extra credit in Latin, Pre-Algebra, and PE." The teachers nodded their assent. The extra credit for Latin and PE wasn't too much of a stretch since they would be learning about Greek swordplay and moving around, getting physical. For Pre-algebra though, Mrs Dodds just didn't want to refuse her boss. "and gets to have dinner with me to any restaurant in any part of the world!"

The students looked happier with the latest development. At least they'd get prizes for the tournament, though some felt weird about the last reward. A restaurant dinner would have been fine, but to have one with the principal would have just been awkward. Finishing up her announcements, Astra said farewell to the class and on that note the field trip ended.

* * *

A.N.

Done! Phew!

So, what do you guys think! Review guys!

See you next chapter!


	5. The Kindest, Bravest, Most Loyal

Percy Jackson and Andromeda's Lament

A.N.

If anyone gets confused, I made a mistake in the chapter numbers. I have since fixed it and reposted.

Chapter 4: The Kindest, Bravest, Most Loyal

The museum field trip just finished and the Yancy kids were heading to the bus. At the front of the group was Mr. Brunner on his wheelchair, followed by the students who were noticeably lacking the energy that they had possessed all day. In fact, they were so exhausted from the day's activities that even Nancy didn't have the energy to mess with anyone. Bringing up the rear of the group was Mrs. Dodds who was watching for any stragglers. Too bad she missed a couple of students.

"C'mon Grover! We'll be left by the bus." Percy was leaning against the wall, next to a large potted plant. His arms were crossed over his torso and his foot was tapping against the floor impatiently.

"I'm almost done!" Grover shouted in reply. The two friends were following the rest of the group when Grover suddenly had the urge to go to the toilet. Percy was dragged along because he was worried that the bus would leave and Grover would be left at the museum by himself. At least now, if the bus did leave, Grover would have Percy with him.

Percy was trying to think about what happened that day while waiting. Since he woke up that morning, he felt like something inside him changed. He felt better than he had ever felt in months and even after a whole day of walking around the museum and dealing with Astra, he didn't even feel tired. Actually, he felt like he could go on for days without rest.

He was trying to remember anything about the girl in his dream or any part of his dream really. While he had his eyes closed he dug deep into his memories, searching for any clues that could help him remember. Unlike his dreams the past few months, he remembered some parts of his dream last night like the violet eyes, the dark hair, the man in the suit talking about a gift, and the monsters.

A flush of the toilet brought him out of his thoughts. He pushed himself up off the leaning position he had on the wall and headed to the bathroom door. He entered the bathroom and saw Grover washing his hands in one of the sinks.

"Ready to go?" Grover asked while drying his hands on some paper towels. Grover glanced at his friend as he watched him lean on the sink next to him.

Percy rubbed at his eyes and sighed. "Hey buddy…" he began "You know that dream I keep having but don't remember?" Grover nodded and gestured for Percy to continue. "I remember some parts of it…" and Percy proceeded to tell Grover about the girl, the man, and everything he could remember about his dream.

When he finished a few minutes later, Grover was silent. Percy was waiting for a reaction from his friend, but Grover just stared at Percy like he was looking through him, like he was looking at Percy but not really seeing him.

"Grover?" Percy asked cautiously. He knew that Grover was a bit weird, but the penetrating gaze he directed at Percy was starting to creep him out. "You okay buddy?"

"What… Oh… yeah…" Grover said, trying to play off his weird look. "So, you dream about a girl every night, huh?" He said with a teasing grin.

And with that remark, all awkwardness between the two vanished as Percy punched the crutch-bound boy in the shoulder, causing Grover to laugh heartily.

"Shut up…" Percy said embarrassed. "Out of everything I told you about, you think about the girl… typical."

This caused Grover to laugh some more, before he suddenly remembered where they were. "Hey Perce… shouldn't we get to the bus? Like… now?"

Percy's eyes widened. He forgot all about the bus and they would probably be left behind if they didn't hurry. He wouldn't put it past Nancy to make up some way for Grover and him to be left behind. He really hated that girl.

"Oh shit! C'mon, let's hurry!"

Percy slammed the door open and started running as fast as he could. Grover would fall behind because of his crutches, Percy knew, but if he could get to the parking lot fast enough, he could make the bus wait and Grover could catch up.

In a few seconds, Percy was already out of Grover's sight.

"Huh…" Grover mused to himself. "Didn't know Percy could run that fast… that's unusual."

* * *

When Grover arrived at the parking lot, he spotted Percy sitting on a parking block in the space the bus would have been. "No luck, huh?"

"No duh, captain obvious."

"Woah woah… don't be hostile… it's not my fault." Grover said, holding a hand up defensively.

Percy grunted. "Actually, it kinda is…" He replied, gesturing to Grover's crotch area which made said boy shuffle his feet in embarrassment.

"I wasn't the one who decided to tell stories…" Grover mumbled under his breath.

"What was that?" Percy asked.

"Nothing! Nothing Percy." Grover said hurriedly. He thought he said it softly enough but it seems that he was mistaken. Or Percy had super ears.

Percy raised a disbelieving eyebrow before letting it go. "So… what're we gonna do now?" He asked his friend. "Should we call someone on the bus to go back for us?"

Grover had a phone, though Percy never saw his friend use it that much. He, on the other hand, didn't have one. He half-expected that if he ever did get one that it wouldn't last a week considering his ass of a stepfather.

Grover thought about it and shrugged. "I don't have anyone's number." Noticing Percy's disbelieving look he added. "I don't hang out with a lot okay… mostly just you." Grover defended himself. "Take a bus maybe? How much you got?" He asked.

Percy rummaged around in his pockets, turning them inside out and showing Grover the contents. "I've got." He glanced at his open palm. "Ten bucks, three cents and…" He found a note folded neatly on his palm. "Huh…"

What was that? Percy had no idea where it came from or what it was. 'Only one way to find out.' He thought. He opened it and his senses were assaulted by the scent of oranges and rose petals. "Principal Black's… phone number?!" He said, starting off numbly and finishing on a dramatic tone.

The note was a tiny rose-tinted slip of paper. Percy assumed that Astra used her perfume on it because it smelt strongly of her. Then he thought of an alternative idea that made him blush, that Astra had it on her the whole day, so close to her body that her scent rubbed onto it.

Aside from the string of numbers on the paper, there was a black star symbol on the bottom and ruby red lipstick marks. Percy didn't know what the star was or what it meant but there was no need to guess where the lipstick came from. It was the exact same color as Astra's lips.

Grover saw the note, the numbers and the lipstick marks and a smirk slowly grew on his face. "How sweet of her… eh Percy…" He nudged his friend with and elbow.

Percy went from being slightly pink to tomato red. "Shut up man… at least we have someone to call now… surely the school Principal can help us" He handed the slip of paper to Grover.

"Ohhh… smells goooood" The satyr said in a teasing voice, stretching out the word, which promptly earned him a smack on the back of his head. "Fine fine…" pulling out his phone, Grover called the number. "There… it's ringing… happy?"

Percy grunted, still a bit pissed off about all the teasing. He was twelve for goodness' sake and Astra was probably in her late twenties or early thirties. Besides, as far as he knew, he wasn't even interested in girls yet.

"Yeah right." Grover said suddenly, the phone still held up to his ear.

"What?" Percy asked. Out of the corner of his eye, Percy saw a man, the one Nancy was trying to pick pocket before, approaching them.

"You were thinking out loud." Grover said, which prompted Percy to flush in embarrassment, his ears turning pink. He turned to look at the man again but he had suddenly disappeared.

'Huh… that was weird…' Percy thought to himself.

"And I'm not that old…" A childish, whiny voice suddenly said from behind them, breaking Percy's train of thought and making him jump into the air and making Grover drop his phone in surprise.

Percy turned to berate the woman, who was the cause of their distress, when his jaw dropped open. He felt the world stop turning as he took in the vision he was presented with. It was Astra, but in the few minutes since he last saw her she had changed her hair and clothes.

Her hair which was let down a few minutes ago were now in a very attractive curly updo, decorated by a black star hair ornament. Her clothes which were previously an attractive business suit was changed into a drop-dead gorgeous figure-hugging, glittering, low-cut ruby red dress that barely restrained her generous chest, teasing his gaze as it threatened to spill out but never quite doing so, exposed her elegant shoulders and covered only her lower back, stuck to her perky bum like a second skin and barely covered her thicc, creamy white thighs. Percy was thankful that she was wearing black thigh-high stockings that covered her legs and most of her thighs or else he would have lost half his blood from a nosebleed (the rest would have been flowing exclusively downwards), and unlike before, she was wearing black flats which lessened their height difference. She held a coat in one of her arms – tan, long sleeved and ankle length– and she was carrying a small purse that was currently hanging off of her shoulder.

Percy didn't know anything about makeup but he could still appreciate its effects. Her eyeliner and shadow made her blue doe-shaped eyes pop out and Percy found himself unable to look away from them. That is, until her expression changed from the puffed-up cheeks of childish indignation, caused by his guess at her age, to a shy, bashful, breathtaking smile and Percy's eyes darted to her ruby red lips. His gaze locked onto them and Percy found himself licking his own suddenly parched lips until a hand waved in front of his face.

"I think you broke him, Principal Black." Percy heard Grover's voice, but it was like it was a faraway echo. He was too busy trying to get his shit together.

'What is wrong with me…' he thought. 'It's just Astra… just Astra…' he repeated to himself like a mantra. 'just Astra, my principal… my incredibly hot… sexy… principal…'

Suddenly, Percy felt a soft smack on his face which brought him out of his trance. He shook his head for good measure and turned to Grover with a glare. "What was that for?!" He demanded.

"Dude… you were starting to drool." Grover replied, not at all affected by Percy's glare. In fact, he seemed amused by the whole turn of events.

Percy tried to play it cool, nonchalantly checking his face for the aforementioned drool while denying everything. "What are you talking about? I wasn't doing anything, let alone drooling."

Grover laughed. "Yeah. You weren't doing anything except burning holes into Principal Black."

"Stop talking Grover…" Percy said menacingly, which only earned him another laugh from Grover, with Astra's tinkling laughter joining in.

"Don't blame Mr. Underwood, Percy…" Astra said. "You were staring pretty hard…" She looked down at her body. "So, I take it you approve?" She asked as she ran her hands down the dress, tracing her curvy figure.

Percy gulped and gave her a thumbs up. "Y…Yeah… It's… great."

Grover decided to give his own input. "Yeah Principal Black. You look great. Very Sexy." He said while nodding approvingly. "You goin' on a date?"

At this Percy paid rapt attention. He wasn't jealous, of course… just concerned. Yeah, not jealous at all.

Astra shrugged in reply, which Percy found very distracting as it did things to her chest that made Percy's mouth go dry and his blood to rush from his tomato-red face to someplace else a bit further down.

"I don't know yet." Astra said. "I haven't asked."

"Well I'm sure he'll accept." Grover said. "If he doesn't he's either blind or gay. Hell, a gay guy might even go straight."

His words of assurance caused Astra's lips to curve upwards in a smile so bright that Percy thought that he'd have the vision of a smiling Astra in her little red dress forever imprinted into his eyes before he went blind from the radiance of her visage.

"Well… if you put it like that." Astra turned to Percy. "What do you say… you want to go to dinner?"

Percy's eyes snapped wide open while Grover looked as if he expected it and wiggled his eyebrows and gave Percy a knowing grin. "Ummm… er… aahhh…" Percy was fumbling for words. He was twelve. He should be going on dates with girls his age not on dates with women so far out of his league even famous actors would find themselves wanting.

Grover, seeing that his friend was currently having a meltdown answered for Percy. "He'd love to, Principal Black. Unfortunately, we were left by the school bus and we can't go back to Yancy. Actually, we were calling you for help. He doesn't have clothes to go someplace fancy and he won't leave me here alone so…"

"Oh… don't worry about that. Actually, I told the bus to go on without you." Astra said, surprising both Percy and Grover. Well, mostly Grover. Percy knew this woman enough to expect things like that from her. "I said that I'd have you covered since the other kids were already tired and cranky and wanted to rest and you two were nowhere to be found. So…" She brought out a hello kitty wallet from her purse and took out a hundred-dollar bill. "Get yourself a taxi back to Yancy while Percy and I go on our date. Yay!" She let out a little cheer at the thought which caused Grover to sweatdrop. Percy was still wrapping his head around the events that are happening right in front of his eyes.

Percy finally got his mind back into order when he was left alone with Astra and Grover had already limped himself halfway to the exit of the parking lot. "Wait! Grover!"

Grover simply looked over his shoulder, gave him a smile and a thumbs up. Percy thought he saw a sparkle in his teeth. "Good luck Percy! Ah… youth!"

He was about to run after Grover when he felt a surprisingly solid grip on his hand. "My car's this way, Percy." And so, he was dragged along the parking lot trapped in a date with his school principal.

He sighed in reluctant acceptance and looked ahead. His gaze fell on the rounded, swaying bum in front of him as she sashayed her hips, bouncing slightly with her every step. 'Maybe this won't be bad after all.' He thought to himself as he started walking along instead of being dragged along.

As he caught up to Astra, the grip on his wrist slackened. He was a bit sad at the sudden loss of contact when Astra suddenly hugged an arm to her chest and tightly held on. 'Yeah, definitely worth it' He thought he felt the his arm being trapped in between the two large pillows on his principal's chest.

* * *

As Percy and Astra approached her car, still walking arm in arm, he was shocked to see what they would be riding. It was Jay-Z's car! A Bugatti!

The car was a Bugatti Veyron the same shade of red as Astra's dress. "Wow! Is that really your car, Principal Black?" He asked. When he got no response, he tried again. Still no reaction. "Hello! Can you hear me?"

"Were you talking to me?" She asked innocently, though there were undertones of anger in her voice as well.

"Obviously. Who else?" Percy asked.

"Hmph." Astra tore here arms away from Percy and turned her back to him. Really this woman would be the death of him, either by stress, suffocation by her breasts or blood loss from nosebleeds.

"Wha?" Percy didn't know what he did wrong. He just asked her about the… then it hit him. He reached up to touch her bare shoulders, making Astra shiver, and he spun her body around so that she was facing him. Her lips were quivering and he was surprised to see her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "C'mon. I'm sorry. I just forgot." He said, looking into her baby blues to convey his seriousness. "Sorry. Astra. For calling you Principal Black. I know you don't like it when I call you that."

Just like that, Astra did a 180. The tears disappeared from her eyes, and she beamed at him happily. She hugged him tightly to her body and Percy enjoyed the feel of the soft fabric of her dress and the feel of her curves. He felt her shift until her mouth was right next to his ear. "Yeah. Okay… I forgive you." Astra whispered huskily into his ear and it was Percy's turn to shiver.

Astra let go of Percy and resumed walking to the car. It was not until she had already opened the driver side door that she noticed that Percy was still frozen in place. "Hey!" She called out to him. "Percy! Let's go. We have a lot to do!"

Percy slapped his palms on his cheeks. "Focus Percy. You can do this. You can do this." He said to himself, trying to pump himself up. The sting of his cheeks helped in this regard, as the slight burn gave him a point to focus on. "Yeah! I'm coming."

When Percy reached the passenger side door, Astra had already gone in and started up the engine. He felt a thrill up his spine when he felt the vibrations the car made. He wasn't even in the car yet and he could already feel the power the car had.

He finally opened the door and he froze at the sight. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately.

Astra was sitting in the driver's seat normally, but the car seats were leaning back and Astra's impressive body was stretched languidly on the seat. Her dress had ridden up a bit, exposing even more of her bare thighs. The bit of skin peeking out from in between the dress and the stockings made for an alluring sight, especially because up close, Percy could see a faint floral pattern on the stockings and they were a bit transparent too.

"Aren't you going in, Percy?" Astra asked, raising a perfectly formed eyebrow.

"Y-Yeah." Percy said as he got in the car, his eyes never straying from the alluring sight beside him. 'You got this Percy. You got this. Just calm down. Take a deep breath, calm down.' He thought madly to himself.

He took a deep breath and suddenly realized his mistake. The car's roof was down. He was in an enclosed space with Astra and her scent – orange and rose petals – filled the car. 'Okay… bad idea.' He thought as his attempts to regain focus backfired and he was now trapped in the allure of the woman he was with.

His eyes were locked into her figure as they drove out of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and into the open road. He barely felt the car move as he was too out of it to pay attention. He tried not to breathe in Astra's scent but soon gave up and started taking deep breaths, savoring her sweet scent. He noticed Astra's every movement, every breath she took making her chest rise and fall slightly, every time she stepped on the brakes and the gas pedals which made the muscles of her long, toned legs flex and every time she handled the gearshift and how well she expertly handled the long, hard stick.

"Hehe." Astra suddenly broke into giggles. "Percy… take a picture if you're gonna look at me that long."

"Wha!" Percy said, turning away and brushing of imaginary lint on his shirt. "I wasn't looking at you or anything like that. I was looking at the car."

Another giggle. "Okay. Right."

Percy huffed, but turned back to Astra, now a bit calmer than before. "It's a great car. You can't blame me if I wanted to carefully examine everything."

"No… it's okay Percy. I know it's a great car." She said, nodding seriously. "That's why I bought it."

"It's amazing! How much was it." Percy asked, trying to divert the topic away from his ogling of her. He was also genuinely interested. When he saw the car, he thought that if he ever had money he'd buy a car just like it.

"Hmmm," Astra left one hand on the steering wheel and scratched at her cheek with her now free hand. "I can't remember actually. I bought this one along with my Lambo so…" Astra then gave a bright smile. "Besides, I don't really check prices on things. I just buy what I like."

Percy gaped. "You have a Lamborghini too! How much money do you have, really?" He asked. He knew that it was rude but he was too curious to care about courtesy.

"Well…" Astra began, not at all bothered by his rude question. She trusted Percy and letting him know more about her seemed to be really good for her intentions. It was Percy after all. "My family's been divided for a long time. My father doesn't like me all that much and I'm not a fan of him either." She explained. "Says I'm too strange and he's too serious and stuffy for me. I know I'm a bit strange but I'm not THAT weird, am I, Percy?" She asked him suddenly with a cute pout on her face.

"Not at all." Percy said absently, too entranced by the look on her face.

"Yeah! I'm not that strange." She said in indignation. "Stupid Order…" She mumbled under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing! Nothing at all!" She said with a panicked look in her eye. She cleared her throat. "Ahem… as I was saying… my family was divided. It's mostly my uncle and me against everyone else and my uncle's richer that Tony Stark, Bruce Wayne and Scrooge McDuck put together." She stated as Percy blinked his eyes repeatedly in surprise. "And, well, I'm sole heir."

"Uhh… okay… so you're… um… practically swimming in money?" Percy asked.

"Well not in a long time, but sometimes I go for a swim. Y'know, it's not that fun. All those papercuts." She shivered at the thought but Percy was simple staring at her blankly.

'She literally swims in money, huh. Why am I not that surprised?' He thought as he stared at the strange woman beside him.

"We're here!" She said, breaking Percy out of his thoughts. "Yay! C'mon Percy."

She stepped out of the car and ran up to Percy's side and practically dragged him out of the car. "Fine, fine. I'm coming. You don't have to pull me…. Eeep!" Percy suddenly cried out, rubbing his rear where Astra spanked him.

"Teehee… oops!" Astra said, sticking out her tongue cutely and bonking her knuckles on her head softly.

Percy sighed in resignation and nodded, still rubbing his abused butt cheek. "It's fine. Where are we anyway?" He watched Astra take the coat that was draped over one arm and shrug it on. She looked back at Percy while doing so, silently asking him to help her, which he did so.

With Astra successfully getting the coat wrapped around her body thanks to Percy's help, the boy turned to the store. While Astra was busy trying to button up her coat, he tried to read the shop sign, it was clearly not a restaurant – there weren't any tables or waiters –, but his dyslexic eyes were acting up again.

"It's a tailor." Astra said, walking up to the store name written on the front glass window. She held up both arms and gestured to the words like a show girl presenting a prize, her freshly put on coat swaying with her exaggerated movements. "Welcome to the Statesmen!" Percy tried to object when she interrupted. "Don't worry, I'll pay. Consider it a gift."

Percy sighed in acceptance and followed her inside.

* * *

"Astra… Why do I have to do this again?" Percy asked for the umpteenth time. He had already changed into countless suits and none of them, according to Astra, was quite right.

"Because we can't go to the restaurant in your jeans and shirt, Percy. At least look nice for our date." Astra explained to him patiently for the umpteenth time as well.

"Sorry for normally not looking nice." Percy said under his breath. Astra seemed to have heard though because she held his hand in both of hers and looked into his sea-green eyes.

"That's not what I meant, Percy." She said. "You know I don't mean it like that."

Percy looked deep into her eyes, feeling like he was looking up at a blue summer's sky. Percy nodded. "Yeah… of course… I knew that…"

Astra smiled at him radiantly and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Percy flushed bright red. As soon as Astra left to get some more clothes for him to try on, he started rubbing his cheek where he could still feel the softness of Astra's lips.

"How about this madam?" He heard the shopkeeper say to Astra. "This coat goes very well with your chosen shirt and with this tie…"

"No!" Percy heard Astra's sharp reply. "No ties. I want a bow tie! Bow ties are cool." He then heard the rustling of clothes before he heard Astra once again. "What about this?" She asked the shopkeeper, while showing him a tweed jacket. "And do you have suspenders? I think he'll look good in those."

The man looked at the articles of clothing with scrutiny. "Maybe, madam. But don't you think he'll look better in these." He held up a dark blue cashmere jacket which would look well with the already chose light blue silk dress shirt and black dress pants. "And then if you want a bow tie then maybe…" He looked around the shop and took a simple black bow tie. "This one…"

Astra looked at the blue jacket and the black bow tie, then looked at the tweed coat that she picked. It looked like she was making a life or death decision like she was made to choose between her love or her best friend and only one could live or to choose between pancakes or waffles and her choice would be the only breakfast she'll ever have again for the rest of her life.

"I don't know…" She said slowly. "I really like the tweed with the bow tie and suspenders, but I can see that he'll look really good in those too…"

"Um… Astra…" Percy said loud enough to be heard from the dressing room he was in. "Maybe you could show me and I could pick?" He asked.

"Well, okay… but Percy you don't really know anything about these things, do you?" He heard the two pairs of footsteps approaching.

"Maybe not, but I'd still like to have a say in what I'll be wearing for the rest of the night, don't I?" Percy opened a curtain and looked at his two options. He took one look at what Astra was holding and pointed at what the shopkeeper had, not even bothering to see what it was. "Let's go with that one, Astra. I like that one." He said hurriedly.

Astra pouted at him. "But I really like this one Percy." She held out the tweed.

"Astra, I like that one." Percy said, giving her a determined look and injecting a bit of steel in his voice. "Please." He finished a bit more warmly.

"Um… well…" Astra said, turning away hiding her rose red cheeks. Percy looked really handsome when he tried to look tough and dominating. "Okay… but only because you said please." She said, still turned away, and started walking away from the dressing room, still trying to hide her red face. "I'll put these back on the rack." She raised the tweed jacket for them to see before hurrying off.

"Phew…" Percy wiped away some imagined sweat from his forehead. "Dodged a bullet with that one. I would've been scratching myself raw all night long." He took the blue jacket from the shopkeeper and gave the man a smile. "Thanks for that."

"No problem sir." The man said. "I have to say though…" he came closer to Percy and whispered softly. "The lady is very beautiful but she is a bit…" the man trailed off, looking for a suitable word.

"Strange?" Percy finished. The man nodded. "Yeah, but it's one of her charm points." He wore the jacket and gave the man a pose. "So, what do you think."

"Very nice sir." The man said and then handed him the bowtie. "Last piece."

"Um… how do I…"

As the shopkeeper began to tie the bow around Percy's neck, Astra came back from returning the tweed. "Wait! I wanna do that! Let me! Let me!" She exclaimed, raising her hand like she was getting a teacher's attention.

She pushed the shopkeeper away a bit forcefully, making the man grunt, and Percy winced. He mouthed a sorry to the man who promptly waved it off with a chuckle.

When Percy glanced at Astra, he saw her pink tongue poking between her lips in concentration which distracted Percy long enough for her to finish tying the bow on. "There!" She looked up from her task and saw Percy gazing intently at her face, causing her to bashfully bow her head and avert her gaze. She backed away, putting distance between him and her, and slowly ran her eyes up and down on Percy.

Percy was nervous at her scrutiny but gave a relieved smile when Astra nodded to herself in contentment. "That'll do. You look very handsome Percy." She complimented him, causing his face to gain another pinkish tint.

"Yes sir. Very nice indeed." The shopkeeper agreed, looking at Percy with a knowing smile.

'Great. First Grover and Mr. Brunner, now even strangers are shipping us.' Percy thought to himself. 'Wait, what's shipping?'

"We'll take this one please." Astra said as she turned to the shopkeeper.

"Let us proceed to the counter, madam, to finish the purchase." The man said, gesturing for Astra to go ahead. Astra did so, telling Percy to look around a bit so they had an idea for next time and the man turned to Percy. "You are a very lucky young man." Then he followed Astra to the counter while Percy was still standing in the dressing room.

"Next time?!" Percy said to himself surprised that there was even one time and now there was supposed to be a next?!

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Astra parked their vehicle.. "We're here!" Astra announced to a surprised and doubtful Percy. The alley they parked just outside of was extremely shabby and questionable. First off, it was located in a somewhat dubious part of the city. There were graffiti on the alley walls and Percy could hear the soft squeaking of rats infesting the heaps of trash in the dumpster.

When he and Astra got out of the car, Percy almost gagged from the smell. It was the smell of something rotten, some dog or cat shit, the musty smell of stale piss and a whole plethora of unpleasant smells.

Percy hurriedly followed Astra to the end of the alley, trying not to throw up. As it was, he had to stop to dry heave, as was demanded by his churning stomach. Percy felt Astra's hand softly patting him on the back as he was heaving and felt some comfort from the gesture.

"Sorry, Percy. Should've warned you about the smell." Astra said, an apologetic lilt to her voice.

"No. It's fine. I just wasn't expecting that." Percy replied. "Where are we, anyway. Is the restaurant somewhere here?" Percy asked, doubtful.

"Uh huh." Astra said as she was reaching into her purse. "By the way, you gotta wear this, at least until we get to our table." She handed Percy a tastefully decorated mask that covered only the top part of his face. A masquerade mask.

Percy's mask was blue with wave designs on them. It was made of a material Percy couldn't decipher, he just knew that it wasn't plastic. The wave designs were exquisitely made like they weren't printed on but hand painted on.

"What'd you think?" Astra asked as she watched Percy put on the mask. It fit perfectly onto his face that even without straps or a sticking agent, the mask stayed on. "I made it myself."

"It's very nice. Thank you." Percy said, grateful that Astra would put that much effort into what he thought to be a spontaneous dinner affair. "Why the waves though?"

"I know how much you like the sea." She said. "And swimming."

Percy nodded. In one of their usual 'punishment sessions', Percy got to talking about his family. He told her about the stories his mom told him about how he met his dad, how they fell in love, and how they said goodbye. Then, of course, he vented to her about how much he hated his stepfather and how much he wished that his mom had someone better.

"Okay, follow me." Astra said as she put on her own mask. Her mask was more feminine than his mask. It was black with gold highlights and made up of the same material as Percy's. The decorations, however were infinitely more expensive. The Golden strokes of color made the dark gemstones shaped into stars that dotted the mask pop out and demand attention. Small white gemstones lined the mask, tracing the edges. "Does this look okay." She asked Percy

Percy nodded. "You look good in everything, Astra." He said, surprising himself with how calm he complimented her. It was true though.

"Aw… thanks." She once again looped her arms through his and led him to their destination, half dragging, half guiding him along.

"So… the restaurant? It's somewhere close?" Percy asked as they walked.

"Yeah… well… it's not actually a restaurant." Astra said. "It's more of a secret venue that serves food." She explained.

Percy was impressed. He had lived in New York his entire life and he'd never heard of any secret places. Now, he was going to dinner in one of them. "So the masks?" He asked.

"All the people there are wearing them." Astra said. "We'd stick out like a sore thumb if we showed up without a mask." As they were talking, they reached an abandoned looking warehouse. "We're here."

The warehouse matched the rest of the street, it looked shabby and nothing special. There were broken window panels, the lone light that illuminated the entrance point was flickering and there was a dirty, grungy feel to the building itself.

"C'mon." Astra dragged Percy into the warehouse and he was stunned at the sudden change.

If the outside of the building was shabby and grungy, the interior was like being transported into another time. They were only in the entrance way but the décor was already grand. The walls were covered in a tasteful, dark colored, floral patterned wallpaper. Paintings and other wall hangings were on the wall with a persistent theme in them – Percy didn't know for sure but it looked like they were originals and antiques from a long time past, maybe the renaissance or Victorian or something like that. Fine drapery covered the window panels, hiding away the any trace of the warehouse exterior. The floors were made of marble polished to the point that Percy could see his reflection. There was another door where Percy presumed led to the main part of the establishment.

There were different people already inside when they entered. He couldn't tell much because, as Astra said before, they were wearing masks, but Percy could see that they were all dressed to the nines. The men were wearing suits that looked well-made and expensive and Percy was glad that Astra had him change or he would be sorely out of place. Most of the women were wrapped up in coats but in a corner of the room Percy saw a man in a plain white mask taking hats, coats and jackets to deposit inside a room. This allowed Percy to see the different attires of the women and boy was he impressed. They looked stunning, every one of them, but he knew that the most desirable woman in the room – at least by looks alone – was the one hanging onto his arm.

There was another man standing by the door wearing a plain white mask that covered his entire face, similar to that of the coat man. He was behind a small desk and as Percy watched him greet the various guests, he realized that he was the receptionist. The man was tall, muscular and simply put, large, not at all what Percy expected a receptionist to look like. His size was closer to that of a bouncer, which Percy thought might be another part of his duties. Actually, when Percy glanced at the man taking the coats, he saw that he was also as big, if not bigger, than the receptionist.

It wasn't long until they were in front of the receptionist/bouncer.

"Good evening ma'am. Sir." He spoke in a drawling, accented English. "Please present proof of membership." He requested.

Astra rummaged in her purse for a bit before taking out an old looking key chain with a random bauble on it. She handed the man the bauble, giving Percy a small smile as she reached over.

The man examined the bauble with a practiced ease. After several moments of looking at the front of the watched, he flipped it open and nodded in acceptance. "Everything seems to be in order. Do you have a reservation, ma'am?" He asked.

"Yes. Under Black Star."

The man consulted looked at something behind his desk. Percy tried to peek at what he was looking at but stopped when he felt a pinch on his arm. Looking at Astra, Percy gave her a questioning look.

"The people here _reeaallly_ like their privacy..." she whispered to him softly. Percy nodded in understanding. He got that with the masks and all...

"Ah yes… you've booked a private room…" He pressed a button on the desk and a waitress appeared. "Violet, please bring the madam and the sir to the room three."

The waitress, Violet, nodded and gestured for them to follow. "Right this way please."

Percy did a double take when he saw her. She was wearing a tight, long-sleeved white blouse and short mini skirt that did nothing to hide her figure. She was wearing a black necktie along with a black and white apron that covered her front. Fishnet stockings covered her legs and she was wearing black stiletto heels. She looked like a maid.

However, what caught Percy's attention the most was her coloring. She was wearing a mask but from what Percy could see she was pale skinned, with dark hair and violet eyes. For a moment, Percy's vision darkened and he saw another girl, wearing tattered clothing, covered in nicks and bruises with a captivating violet gaze.

He blinked and the world seemed to right itself. He was back in the venue, Astra still holding onto his arm as they followed their waitress to their table.

They followed Violet through the door and Percy got his first glimpse at the real venue. There was luxurious furniture all over, the chairs looking very comfortable and the tables looked really extravagant. A large, grand chandelier of sparkling crystal and glass shined dimly as it was hung on the room ceiling. The candles on every table made for most of the lighting, giving the tables a romantic vibe and lending the guests an orange glow.

Percy could spot waitresses everywhere, walking around the floor serving food and taking orders. He, however, couldn't see any waiters. The wait staff as far as Percy could tell was exclusively female, wearing the same attire as their own waitress Violet.

They were led to a set of double doors off on the side of the room. "Your room, ma'am. I will be with you shortly." Violet said, opening the door and gesturing them to enter before she left.

They entered and Percy once again went through a surprising change of room décor. Unlike the exterior of the building which looked like a dirty warehouse, or the entrance way and main floor which looked like something out of a French palace – or Victorian, or Renaissance, or Medieval (Percy really didn't know which from which) – the room they were in was designed to look like they were under the see. It was designed like what Percy thought Atlantis would look like.

The first thing Percy saw was the table, set for two. The chairs were both made out of wood with things like shells and pearls embedded into the legs and armrests. Despite the uncomfortable looking frame, the seat and the backrest itself looked very comfortable with soft looking plush cushions the color of Percy's eyes, sea green. The table was also made out of wood with its legs and edges bearing carved decorations with the ocean motif. Percy could see starfish, clams, boats, sails and waves beautifully carved into the table frame. The top was covered with a simple blue table cloth, the same color as the table napkins. The centerpiece was a flower arrangement, though instead of flowers, everything came from the sea. There was a see-through vase filled with white sand and in place of the flowers there was coral and plastic crustaceans and anemones. In the middle of the arrangement, wedged right between the coral was lone blue candle.

He also noticed a large, glowing saltwater aquarium that was cleverly presented like you were looking right out into the sea floor from inside an ocean palace. The façade was beautiful. Percy knew what every fish in that tank was – he always was weirdly good with anything related to the sea. He saw angel fish, star fish, all kinds of tang, sea horses, starfish, clown fish, cardinals, bassets, some eels, a pufferfish and even a lionfish. There were no man-made decorations, instead there were various pieces of live coral and sea plants inside which made the aquarium look natural.

There were decorations hanging on the ocean themed wall. The most noticeable was the one that hung above the aquarium. It was a three-pronged spear, a trident.

"Astra…" Percy gulped, noticing something that was off to the side of the room. "Why is there a bed?" The bed, like the rest of the room, was ocean themed. It was a four-poster bed and it was carved with various sea-related things. The bed frame and canopy was carved with images of boats riding on waves while the legs and the four columns that held up the canopy was carved with various sea creatures like crabs, seahorses and fishes.

"Why do you think?" Astra answered, giving him a shy look and a wink. Percy desperately wished for a glass of water as his mouth suddenly ran dry. "For resting, of course!" She said with a teasing smile. She poked Percy on the forehead. "Get your mind out of the gutter. I don't do those sorts of things on the first date." She said, making Percy sigh in relief. She leaned in close to Percy and whispered into his ear. "No promises for the second date though." She gave his ear a light nibble, making Percy shiver.

"Stop teasing me." Percy said heatedly, his face an interesting shade of scarlet.

Astra giggled. "But you look so cute, all read and stuff." She said, pinching his cheek before cupping it in her hand and looking deep into his eyes. "You look really handsome tonight." She said before taking off his mask. "There. That's better."

She leaned down a bit before looking at him expectantly, giving him a good look at her ruby red lips and baby blue eyes partly hidden underneath her mask. Percy cursed the mask for obscuring part of her face and slowly, almost reverently, reached up and gently took the mask off her face, revealing it in its entirety and earning him a bright smile.

"Beautiful." Percy muttered absently in the most genuine compliment he was capable of giving, making Astra smile brightly and her cheeks did a convincing impression of a cherry.

Percy smiled back at her and the two found themselves just standing there staring at each other in their private room, their own little world. Him wearing the handsome suit she bought for him, with pink tinted cheeks and shy smile, getting lost in her eyes like he was staring right into the blue summer sky. Her in her tan buttoned coat hiding what he knew to be a knockout body, her pale creamy skin tinged red and curled blonde hair in an up-do, smiling at him brightly and staring right back into his familiar sea green eyes, eyes she had missed gazing into, feeling the happiest she had been in a long time.

"Sorry for the…" Just like that, the spell was broken and the two found themselves falling back down, back with the rest of the world.

Violet had just opened the door when she froze, seeing the two looking at each other, sharing such an intimate moment. She cleared her throat, her cheeks a bit pink. "My apologies for… interrupting." She said awkwardly. "I will… return shortly."

She closed the door just as Percy and Astra looked away from each other, both their cheeks bright red from being caught.

'Why is my heart racing?' Percy thought to himself. 'We weren't doing anything. I was just looking at her. God why is this so awkward. Get it together Percy. Get it together.'

It was Astra who got over it first. "Shall we sit?" She asked, gesturing to the tables.

Percy nodded before noticing that she was still wearing her coat and the rack that was standing right next to him. "Astra." He said, getting her attention. She looked at him with a questioning look. Percy simply walked up behind her in reply and took hold of her shoulders. "Let's get that off."

Once again, Astra turned pink. She had always loved seeing Percy take charge. He noticed her ears turn pink but decided not to say anything. Both of them had been blushing enough today to last them a lifetime.

"Hmmm…" Astra said as she unbuttoned her front, and Percy knew he was about to get made fun of. Again. "Didn't know you were so… eager… to get me out of my clothes..."

"Wha…" Percy sputtered. "I was just… you were… and…" Accepting defeat when he knew it was hopeless, Percy just told Astra to shut up, making Astra giggle in response.

When she finished unbuttoning her front, she started shrugging her arms out of the coat sleeves when Percy helped her. He grasped the shoulders of the coat and started to peel Astra out of it, revealing to him the pale, creamy skin of her bare, sensual back. Percy could see a faint smattering of freckles on her skin and he was tempted to put his lips to each and every one of them but held back. It would be so awkward if Violet walked in on them again and found Percy softly kissing Astra's back.

Percy finally got the coat off of Astra and was once again treated to the sight of Astra in her little red dress. His gaze went downwards until it rested on her very impressive behind.

His gaze was locked onto that large, round, luscious derriere when it suddenly gave a small wiggle, making it bounce a bit and causing Percy to clench his fists lest he gave into temptation and give them a fondle. "Are we going to sit down, Percy? Or are you just going to stare at me all night?" He heard Astra say, making him look up and seeing her looking at him over her bare shoulder, her face colored pink but her eyes showing some sort of… satisfaction?

"Uh… yeah… just a sec..." He turned to the coat rack and hung Astra's on it before walking to the table and pulling out a chair.

"M'lady." He said, looking at Astra then at the chair.

Astra smiled happily and walked up to the chair he'd pulled out before curtseying, drawing Percy's eyes back down to her legs. "M'lord." She giggled before gracefully sitting down and Percy pushed her back into place.

Percy smiled down at her and was about to walk to his chair on the opposite side when he did a double take. He looked down again and nearly fainted right then and there. His pants tightened and Percy feared that Astra would find out about his… excitement.

Astra's dress was low cut. Really low cut. And it was backless to so she couldn't wear a bra. So when Percy smiled down at her, he actually looked down Astra's dress and he saw something that he could never, ever, forget.

It was something small and dark pink, like a ripe cherry waiting to be plucked. It was surrounded by a lighter shade of pink; and island of pink amidst the paleness of her breast. He saw a glimpse of Astra's nipple.

'Ohmigod! Ohmigod! Calm down Percy! Calm down!' He took a deep breath, smelling once again the now familiar scent of orange, rose petals and Astra. He glanced down once again and there it was, tempting him, teasing him, calling out for him to taste it. That little pink –

"Percy?" He heard Astra say. "What's wrong? You look like you've seen heaven?"

'You have no idea.' Percy thought at her fitting choice of words.

He saw Astra reach up a hand behind her and towards him and feel his forehead, making her dress move a bit, hiding once again that small slice of paradise that had Percy both trapped in perverted bliss and resounding frustration.

"You okay?"

"yeA…" Percy's voice cracked. Clearing his throat, he tried again. "Yeah. I'm fine." He grasped Astra's hand, the one on his forehead and gave it a squeeze.

It was once again, at this moment, that Violet chose to enter the room. And, once again, she froze at the sight before her.

Percy was standing behind Astra, holding her hand close to his face looking for all the world like he was gazing lovingly down at her after kissing her hand. He was also unsuccessfully trying to hide the tent forming on his pants. Astra herself looked like a textbook example of a Disney princess hopelessly in love with her prince in her traffic-stopping red dress, curly blonde hair and thousand-watt smile as she gazed up at him.

'These two! What the hell! They're too much! He's just a kid for god's sake!' She though urgently to herself before clearing her throat once again. "Should I give you another moment?" She asked a bit annoyed this time around.

"No…" It was Percy who answered her. Astra was to busy studying his face. "We're ready." He let go of Astra's hand and moved to the other chair, making Astra pout.

'I'll never understand rich people.' Violet thought as she rolled in her service cart. She took a box of matches from her service cart and lit the candle before reaching for two menus to hand over to the two guests she was waiting on.

"We'll have a full course meal." Astra said, interrupting the waitress from her task.

The said waitress promptly returned the menus to the cart and turned to the table. Violet nodded, taking a mental note.

"And for drinks?" She asked, reaching for a wine list before Astra interrupted once again.

"Your best bottle of champagne." Astra said. "I don't care how much."

"Very well, ma'am."

Astra nodded, signaling that that's all they would have and dismissing the waitress for now.

"Let me get the champagne. Your appetizers will be delivered shortly. Please ring this bell if you are in need of assistance." Violet said as she placed a small, silver bell on the table and bowed to her guests before departing, presumably to the cellar to get their bottle of ridiculously expensive champagne.

"Really, Astra? Champagne?" Percy asked the woman after Violet had left. "You know I'm only twelve, right? I can't drink yet."

Astra hummed before replying to him. "C'mon Percy. It's just some champagne. Besides..." she said, giving him a sly look. "I won't tell anyone if you don't."

Percy gave raised his eyebrows at her. "Astra… you're my school principal. You can't just enable underage drinking, especially with one of your students."

Violet re-entered the room, holding the bottle of aforementioned champagne when Percy started talking. 'She's his school principal! Ohmigod! This is so weird!' She thought, keeping her face carefully blank as she took two champagne flutes from her service cart and brought it to the table.

"The champagne, ma'am." She said as she presented the bottle to Astra, who read the label before nodding in approval. Violet poured some into the flute closest to the woman.

Astra daintily sipped at the champagne, moaning in satisfaction at the taste, making Violet blush, her lips hidden behind her mask pursed in disapproval while Percy felt something in his pants twitch.

"This is very good." Astra said, licking at her lips.

"Thank you, ma'am." Violet said as she left the bottle on the table and stepped back, bowed, and left the room once more, her service cart rolling about in front of her.

"Here, Percy." Astra said, pouring champagne into Percy's glass. "Don't be afraid. I won't tell on you." She said with a teasing grin, showing Percy her pearly whites.

"I'd rather not." Percy would rather have most of his facilities in order. He hadn't been drunk yet and he dreaded to know what he'd do if he was. He felt the tightness in his pants and thought that, actually, he'd know what he'd do if he got drunk that night as he looked at the woman he was facing.

"C'mon… Percy." Astra pouted at him. "This bottle's expensive. Do you really want me to drink it all by myself?" She took another sip of champagne, moaning once more at the taste, before she bit her lower lip and gave him a half-lidded gaze.

Percy gulped. Normal Astra was bad enough. She was already all clingy and touchy feely. He had no idea what drunk Astra would be like. He had no problem with Astra's childishness, or her strange behavior, he actually found those endearing, but if a drunk Astra turns out to be a seductive, sexy Astra – at least more than she usually is – he had no chance.

"Fine!" Percy took the flute of champagne. "I'll drink some. But not much! I know what hangovers feel like and I don't want to find out."

Astra lifted her glass and Percy wondered what she was after when it made sense to him. He lifted his own glass and clinked it with hers in a toast. "To our first date!" She exclaimed, making Percy sputter. She lowered the flute to her lips and took a sip, savoring the taste, before looking at Percy expectantly.

He gave a sip and an explosion of flavor happened in his mouth. He tried to taste it fully but too much was happening at the same time so he chose to just enjoy the taste.

"How is it?" Astra asked, looking at him with a knowing smile. She saw the look on his face the moment the champagne touched his tongue and she found heat pooling in her belly at the sight.

"It's good." Percy said simply, still enjoying the taste. He took another sip. "Delicious." He licked his lips, tasting more of the champagne and Astra licked her own lips in anticipation as she watched him enjoy his first taste of alcohol.

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself." She said drawing Percy's gaze from the glass in his hand back to her eyes. What he saw in them made him both shiver in excitement and fear for his life. He felt like a gazelle being hunted by a lion.

Percy nodded nervously and cleared his throat. "Yeah. Um…" He started, averting his gaze from Astra's. "What's up with the black star… by the way?" He asked trying to ignore the charged atmosphere between them.

Besides, he was also a bit curious with the symbol. It was on the slip of paper that had Astra's number; her hair is held up with something that has a black star design and her mask also had them; there was a black star symbol on the dashboard of her car; even their reservation was under the alias Black Star. Looking into his memories of this woman, Percy could also remember a ring in the form of a black star that he saw on her fingers from time to time.

"It's my name." Astra explained to him, losing her predatory gaze on Percy and returning to the normal Astra, much to Percy's relief. "Astra means star in Latin so Astra Black means Star Black!" She said, flapping her arms around as she explained and ended with a bit of a cheer at the end. "And when I was young my uncle always used to call me his little star." She said remembering a time long past.

Percy nodded in understanding. He knew that it was a precious thing, the memories of childhood. Percy still cherished each and everyone of his memories with his mom, even those that were embarrassing. Actually, they were the ones that were most vivid.

"Well the name certainly suits you." Percy said and he meant it. He always thought that Astra was as bright as the sun, always shining and making people warm. Turns out that she was a star, twinkling in the night sky, a bright light in the darkness that somehow reached Percy and gave him hope even through his ADHD, dyslexia, his dick of a stepfather and having been expelled by every school he'd gone to in the last five years. "You really are a star."

"Ehehehe… thanks." Astra gave him a shy smile. "and I'll keep on being one… just for you, Percy."

Her words caused Percy's heart to pound and his breathing turned labored. On the outside, Percy looked fine, if not a bit red, but on the inside, he was panicking. 'What did she mean by that?' He asked himself.

A knock on the door interrupted the two. It was Violet who had learned her lesson from the two previous times and had decided to knock this time around. She was once again pushing around a service cart, there was one large tray on the surface, covered by a cloche.

Violet reached their table and put the tray on the table. She raised the cloche and revealed what was inside. It was a large, clam-shaped platter of oysters on ice. There were two small forks on the plate.

"Yay! I love oysters!" Astra cheered happily in her seat. She was bouncing in her seat in excitement which drew Percy's gaze to her chest which were following her every movement.

While Percy was entranced with the wonderful things happening to Astra's chest, Violet was dutifully placing the flavorings on the table. She took a lemon from the service cart, cut it in half, and placed it on the ice. She then started taking out smaller clam-shaped plates that matched the large platter, filled with different condiments like cocktail sauce, roasted salt, paprika, pepper and some herbs.

"Enjoy." Violet said as she finished, before once again departing, her service cart in tow.

"Shall we?" Astra asked excitedly, her gaze still focused on the platter of shellfish. Percy nodded, still thinking about the sight he had just been witness to.

Seeing Percy nod, Astra turned her gaze to him, locking her eyes with his, as she leaned forward and reached for an oyster. Taking one of the forks, she swirled the oyster meat around the shell before placing it near her lips. Eyes still locked with Percy, she tipped her head back, giving him a good look of her graceful, slender neck, and swallowed the oyster in one gulp. He watched the oyster as it went down, her throat noticeably moving as she swallowed.

Astra kept her eyes on Percy as she gulped down the oyster, moaning softly at the taste, and saw his eyes darken slightly. She smiled softly to herself and leaned forward once more to take another oyster, still keeping eye contact. She once again used the cocktail fork to slightly swirl the meat around the shell before reaching forward for the lemon located on Percy's side of the table.

"Percyyyy…" She said in a whiny voice, pouting a bit, her eyes still locked firmly with Percy's. "Will you hand me the lemon please?"

The boy felt himself salivating and it wasn't because of the oysters. He swallowed nervously before nodding numbly in affirmative, reaching for the lemon and handing it to the woman. She took the offered citrus fruit happily, smiling at him brightly, and squeezed a bit of the juice on an oyster before gulping it down, just as she had a moment ago, eyes still locked onto Percy's.

"Mmm…" She moaned, closing her eyes in satisfaction, finally breaking her gaze but Percy still couldn't tear his eyes away from her. "I really do love oysters." She closed her eyes a bit more, basking in the taste of the oyster, the taste of the sea, and the feel of Percy's eyes on her.

She raised her eyelids a few moments later and reached for another oyster when she noticed that Percy was still staring at her, not eating. She giggled. "The oysters are the appetizers, Percy. Not me." She said teasingly.

"Wha?!" Percy sputtered. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. "Yeah… sorry…" He took an oyster and gulped one down. As he swallowed the oyster, he felt a warmth spreading throughout his body starting from his belly, making him groan in delight. Suddenly he felt great, somehow stronger and he didn't know why.

He smiled at the feeling bringing a smile to Astra's face as well. "Oysters are really good, huh?" She asked him.

"Yeah." He took another oyster and swallowed it down naked. "These are really great."

"Um!" Astra agreed, nodding enthusiastically and took an oyster for herself, putting on a bit of sauce and a pinch of salt. She tipped the oyster into her mouth, swirling the meat inside her mouth for a moment, savoring the taste, before gulping it down.

Percy reached for another oyster when Astra grasped his reaching hand. "Astra?" He asked, wondering why she stopped him.

Astra let go of his hand with a smile and took an oyster herself. She sprinkled some herbs onto the oyster then squeezed some lemon onto it before leaning closer to Percy and raising the shell to his mouth. "Say ahhh!"

Percy got an eyeful of pale, white skin as Astra leaned in close to him. His jaw dropped, almost involuntary, and she took the chance and tipped the oyster into his mouth. He felt the oyster on hist tongue, complemented by the lemon and the herbs, and he swallowed instinctively. It was delicious.

As he swallowed the food in his mouth, Astra leaned back and looked at Percy expectantly.

Percy noticed the look. "What?" He asked, still savoring the citrusy lemon, fresh herbs and the taste of the sea lingering in his mouth.

"Do me! Do me!" Astra demanded, whining like a spoilt princess. Percy blushed at her choice of words but humored her nonetheless. He took an oyster shell, a pinch of salt and pepper and a bit of lemon juice and leaned over the table as Astra had before. His hand closed in on Astra's mouth, which stayed resolutely closed. "Astra." Percy called to her.

"Say it, Percy."

"Open up…" Percy said, pushing the oyster a bit closer to her closed red lips.

"Not that." Astra said, crossing her arms over under her chest, raising her breasts up, and puffed up her cheeks.

Percy sighed. "Say ahhhhh." He said indulgently, stretching out the word.

Astra smiled happily and parted her lips, her tongue peeking out. "Ahhhhhhh." When Percy had tipped the oyster into her mouth. "Mmmmmh. Tastes wonderful!" She smiled happily at him as Percy sat back down, his heart beating frantically.

After that they started eating the oysters in earnest with Astra occasionally feeding Percy. When Violet came back with their second course, a French soup, they had already finished the oysters and were daintily sipping at their champagne. Astra had a bright smile on her face as she sipped her champagne while Percy was bright red.

As Violet served them the soup, she was looking curiously between her two guests, wondering why the boy was red faced. "The second course, Bouillbaisse. Enjoy."

"Can I please have a glass of water." She heard Percy say. She headed to her service cart and brought out a pitcher of ice water and two glasses and placed them on the table.

"Thank you." Percy said as he poured himself a glass and gulped it down like a man dying of thirst. He was getting dizzy from his repeatedly warm face and was desperate to cool down.

"If that is all, I will return with the next course shortly." With that, Violet bowed respectfully to her guests and exited the room.

Percy poured himself another glass as Astra took the soup spoon and started on her soup. Her eyes widened at the taste. "This is really tasty!" She said before going to town on the soup. Her spoon was a blur as she quickly, but still daintily sipped the Boullibaisse.

The boy watched as Astra's bowl was quickly emptying and he remembered that he was a dealing with a woman who he had caught roasting a whole pig in her office and consuming copious amounts of sugar. Chuckling to himself, Percy also started in on his soup and, like Astra, his eyes widened at the taste. He eagerly started taking mouthfuls of the soup.

It wasn't long before they finished, and in a significantly shorter time than they finished the first course. Admittedly, they didn't spend half the time flirting over the soup as they did with the oysters.

As they waited for Violet to return with their next course, the two conversed like they usually do. It had been awhile since Percy had been sent to the office, his dreams had left him too tired to cause trouble, so they had a number of stories, both new and old, to trade.

"I wasn't aiming for the school bus…" Percy said as he talked about his fifth-grade adventure in the Saratoga Battlefield. Astra, who had been smothering her giggles behind her hand since Percy began his story finally let loose full-blown laughter. Percy found himself laughing along with her – he couldn't help it, he loved hearing her laugh. It was just so infectious and innocent, like she didn't have a care in the world.

Astra was the first to compose herself and she silently watched Percy get the laughs out of his system, smiling softly. Eventually, Percy's laughter petered out and they were left smiling at each other in comfortable silence.

"I like this." Astra said out of the blue.

"What?"

"This." Astra gestured to the space between them. "I really like it when I'm with you. It's always so fun!" She said as she rested her elbows and rested her head on her hands, looking at him dreamily.

Percy looked away and felt his cheeks blaze hotly. "I think you're really fun too." He said, avoiding her gaze.

Astra smiled triumphantly and took one of his hands, squeezing it reassuringly. "We're definitely doing this again."

Percy looked at her hand in his, small and dainty even compared to his, a twelve-year-old boy, and squeezed it gently. He looked up at her face and nodded, an anticipating smile forming on his lips.

"It's settled then!" Astra said clapping her hands in excitement. "There is a next time. Okay? Okay! No take backs!" She wiggled a finger at Percy. "Call me, okay!"

"I can see you at school anytime." Percy said to the woman who was animatedly bouncing and celebrating in her seat. "I don't need to call you. Besides, I don't have a phone."

"Oh yeah…" Astra bonked herself on the head, a dazzling smile still present on her face. "How silly of me."

"By the way…" A thought suddenly came to Percy. "you put my number in my pocket. How? Why?" He asked.

"I slipped it in when you were using my lap as a pillow." Astra said nonchalantly, like it was an everyday thing for him to use her like a pillow. "And I thought that you'd call me and ask me out."

Percy sighed in exasperation. "Astra… I'm twelve. You can't really expect me to ask you out." He bluntly and Astra's smile dimmed at his words. He hurriedly tried to recover, to salvage the situation and he would gladly do anything to keep her smile from fading. "Besides. Look at you. You're fun, smart, rich, absolutely breathtaking."

Astra blushed at his words. "Thank – "

"And look at me." Percy interrupted her words, looking down at himself. "I'm just a scrawny little kid. I'm totally out of your league." He was carefully trying to keep his voice monotone, hiding just how much the words affected him. "I'm really happy that you like spending time with me but let's face it." He couldn't do it. His voice cracked. "You're better off without me." He chuckled darkly. "Besides, I'll probably be expelled by the end of the year and we'll never see each other again. Expelled for six years straight, woohoo!"

At the end of his little speech, he had been gazing at the floor and trying to avoid looking into Astra's captivating blue eyes. He was afraid to see the look on her face. He was half-expecting her to realize just how much of a problem child he really is and that she'd never want to talk to him again.

He was brought out of his self-pity when he felt a soft presence behind him and slender arms wrapped around his neck.

"Stop, Percy."

It was Astra.

Her voice was soft, barely a whisper, her embrace comforting. "Don't put yourself down like that." Percy shivered at the feel of her breath in his ear. "You're better than you think." Her voice shook and Percy felt something hot drip down exposed neck. It was tears. Astra was crying.

"You'll be great someday. The kindest, bravest, most loyal man in the world." Her grip on him tightened, almost suffocating him. "Anyone would be lucky to have you." Her voice became so soft that he could barely hear her. "I've been waiting… for… I can… a bit longer." She felt him come even closer, letting him hear her clearly. "I'll always be by your side." She tipped his head backwards until it was resting on her chest. She locked her eyes with his, gazing into his own intently. Percy closed his eyes, unable to bear the sight of tears slowly dripping down her cheeks. Something soft and silky lightly brushed against his forehead. "I'll be your very own lucky star."

Percy felt something inside him snap into place. His body felt hot, not like how he gets warm around Astra, but painfully hot. His nerves tingled and he felt like a metal rod was being inserted into his spine. His heart was pounding loud enough that he knew for sure that even Astra could feel it. The pain came to a crescendo, his heart beating a sharp, staccato beat.

Ding!

Suddenly, the pain stopped. The pounding of his heart slowly returned to the normal soft beat it normally had.

He was alright again and he could still feel Astra's arms around him, her lips still on his forehead. It was like time hadn't passed at all.

When Percy felt Astra's lips leave his forehead, he immediately missed the feel of her silky lips and craved to feel them once more upon his skin. He opened his eyes and the sea met the sky as they lock once more in an intimate exchange, not a hair's breadth apart.

Percy reached up and wiped the tear trailing down her cheek with a finger, softly – delicately – tracing the wet trail it left until he reached the end and he cupped her cheek in his palm. "Really?" He asked her in a whispered voice.

Her teary-eyed gaze was genuine and, thought Percy, loving, as it stared him down, looking straight into his soul. "I promise."

Percy's lips quivered with unrestrained emotion and a lone tear escaped his eye as he reached up behind her head and grasped Astra by the hair, gently pulling her down. He brushed his lips on her forehead, just as she had done to him. "Okay then. I believe you." He whispered as he loosened his grip on her and they locked eyes once more.

It was silent as they lost themselves in each other's eyes, feeling like they were the last two people on earth.

"We should probably go back to our seats, huh?" It was Percy who broke the tranquility as he whispered to her softly. "Violet could be back any second."

"Mhm…"

Neither of them moved though. He was too busy drinking in Astra's scent and losing himself in her blue eyes. Up close, he noticed that her eyes actually had small, barely noticeable flecks of green in them and he found himself captivated by the discovery. She was occupied by the feel of him so close, to be so intimate with him again after so, _so_ long, to bask in his familiar, comforting presence.

Someone in the room cleared their throat. "Too late, I'm afraid." Violet appeared, as if by magic, her service cart beside her bearing their next course. "I've been standing here for a while."

Immediately after Violet made her presence known, the two turned to their waitress. She was shuffling her feet nervously, looking at anywhere but them. She was blushing too and Percy thought he could see her looking at them from the corner of her eye.

"Oh, I'm sorry… I didn't notice you there." Astra said calmly, her arms still wrapped around Percy.

Percy started to panic when he felt Astra's arms around him to tighten and he relaxed. He really felt different. He was feeling stronger, faster, healthier, smarter, and more confident than before. When he woke up that day, he already felt great but it was nothing compared to what he was feeling now. And with Astra by his side supporting him, he felt like he could do anything.

"Shall I serve the next course?" Violet asked after clearing her throat once more and now looking at the couple.

"Go right ahead."

It was Percy who replied, surprising Violet as it had always been the woman taking charge before. Looking at them, however, she could see something had changed with the boy. He looked… older? Like he matured a couple of years since she had last saw them. Furthermore, he was looking her straight in the eyes, not at all embarrassed at his current predicament. He was less like a boy and more of a young man.

Astra was still draped over Percy's back as Violet started serving the food. The waitress also noticed the smile on the woman was brighter than it was since Violet last saw her– which was an impossibility in itself, she was already a ray of sunshine before. She was now softly rubbing her hands on the boy's shoulders, giving him a massage while the boy smiled up at her.

The moment the food was on the table, Violet bowed and left, in a hurry to leave. She felt like an intruder in such an intimate moment. She didn't even bother explaining the food.

It didn't matter though. Percy and Astra were too focused on each other to even notice that Violet had left.

Astra was still rubbing Percy's shoulders when Percy realized that they were now alone. He looked at the table where the food was and saw that it was a platter of mini-meat pies. The pies had an exquisite golden-brown crust and the smell was heavenly. It smelled like cooked bacon, melted cheese and fresh parsley. They were no larger than normal sized cookies.

"Aren't we going to…" Percy groaned mid-sentence as Astra rubbed at the base of his neck. "Eat… Astra?"

"Mmmm…" She kept rubbing at the base of his neck, making Percy groan some more before moving up to rub his temples. "D'you want me to stop?" She asked breathily, like she had been running instead of simply giving Percy a massage.

"Not really." Percy answered honestly.

"Then start eating… I'm still enjoying this." She said as she pulled on Percy's blue cashmere jacket, trying to get it off. Percy helped her by shrugging his arms out and Astra tossed the jacket somewhere behind her.

"Hey! That's new you know." He said, mock indignantly.

Astra gave him a sly smile. "Oh! I'm sorry… how about I make it up to you..." She whispered huskily into his ear as she unbuttoned the first two buttons of his shirt, creeped her hands inside and started kneading his shoulders directly, skin to skin.

Percy groaned in delight at the sensation of Astra's soft hands working on him. He gave her a small smile. "Keep doing that… and maybe I'll forgive you…"

Astra didn't need any encouragement on that front. She thoroughly enjoyed the Percy's expressions as he melted into putty in her hands. Remembering the exquisite food that has yet to be touched, Astra urged Percy to start eating.

Percy reached for a quiche, they were small enough to be held in one hand and took a bite. The savory taste of cheese and bacon entered his mouth and it tasted just as good as it smelled. He took another bite of the heavenly quiche while his angelic Astra kept kneading and rubbing at his bare skin, making him feel bliss. He didn't even notice when he referred to Astra as his.

When Astra rubbed at a particularly tense set of nerves, Percy moaned in pleasure and she focused on that spot, enthusiastically kneading his muscles. As Percy enjoyed Astra's skilled hands, he looked at the quiche still in his hand. There was still two-thirds of the cookie-sized pastry left.

He glanced at Astra over his shoulder and saw her face eyebrows furrowed and tongue peeking out between her ruby red lips as she concentrated on her task. Percy found her absolutely stunning.

He raised the quiche in his hand to her, reaching over his shoulder, and holding it close to her captivating, kissable lips. "Say ahhhh…"

Astra looked at the quiche in her face, then at Percy, before a radiant smile broke out into her face and Percy's heart skipped a beat.

"Ahhhh."

Percy fed her the quiche and Astra eagerly bit into the pastry. He held up the pie up for her until it was gone and before he knew what was happening, Astra was nipping at his fingers gently.

"Mmmhh." She licked her lips, drawing Percy's gaze to them. "delish…" She said softly, her voice low and sensual. Percy's pants tightened at the sound and he felt Astra pull her hands out of his shirt and he was disappointed at the loss of contact. Thankfully, he felt Astra's hands resume their work on him, this time softly stroking his hair and massaging his scalp.

"Uhhh… Astra…" He groaned her name softly. "That feels so good." She injected the movement of her fingers with more vigor at Percy's encouraging words and pleasure-filled voice.

Percy himself sighed in contentment as Astra ran her slim, delicate fingers through his hair. He took another quiche and took a bite for himself before feeding Astra the rest. This time, he let her nip at his fingers all she wanted. Her soft lips touching and her teeth gently biting and nibbling at his fingers was something Percy enjoyed as much, if not more, as that of her skilled hands on his scalp.

Soon, they had established a sort of rhythm to their movements. Astra would alternate between massaging his temples, his scalp or his shoulders and every time she would rub a particularly good spot, Percy would feed her a quiche. Astra was strangely good at finding all of Percy's spots, like she somehow already knew of them, even those that Percy himself doesn't know about. Percy, in turn, gladly let Astra nip, lick and even lightly suck on his fingers.

Soon, they ran out of pies and Percy simply cupped her cheek, gently tracing her plump lips with his thumb while Astra continued her ministrations on Percy's shoulders and scalp.

Percy was surprised at himself that he was brazenly touching Astra in such an intimate place. He really did change tonight, he could clearly feel the effects. He was just afraid that the magic would be for just that night and that he would be back to his usual self the next morning. The thought of not being brave enough to touch and hold Astra like this again physically hurt.

The two heard a sharp knock on the door that broke the charged atmosphere they had. Astra was panting like she had just gone through a workout and Percy was no better.

Percy traced her lips one last time before he lowered his hand and rebuttoned his shirt. "We should probably…" he stopped to catch his breath. "get back to our seats…"

Astra looked like she might say otherwise but nodded in the end. She was about to walk back to her seat when she felt Percy grip her wrist, holding her in place. He gave her a lopsided grin and Astra watched as he carried her chair so that she could sit right next to him.

"M'lady." He gave her a charming smile and a bow before pulling out her chair.

She giggled, her heart raced and she felt dampness down there. "M'lord." She said, curtsying to him and taking a seat.

Percy pushed her back in, smiling down at her, and this time, even a peek of Astra's pink ripe cherries, didn't affect him much besides giving a small appreciation in his head.

He took his seat and felt Astra reach for his hand under the table. He smiled at her and gripped her hand firmly, entwining her fingers with his.

"Violet sure is taking her time…" Percy said as they waited for their server. The knock had come quite a while ago. He was expecting her to enter while he was moving the chair, but a few minutes had already passed and she still hadn't arrived.

"Maybe she's outside?" Astra wondered. Her eyes fell on the silver bell on her side of the table. She took the bell by the handle and gave it a soft shake.

As the tinkles of the bell filled the room, the door slowly opened and Violet peeked her head inside. "Are you ready for the main course?" She asked, not meeting either one of their gazes.

It was Astra who answered, making the woman sigh in relief and enter open the door fully. She started rolling her cart inside when she caught a glimpse of her guests and froze.

Unlike before, they were sitting next to each other. That wasn't what made her freeze. It was the sight of the boy. Violet could see his jacket rumpled on the floor like it had been flung there carelessly. His hair was a mess like he had gone through a hurricane and his silk dress shirt was rumpled.

Furthermore, Violet noticed that her guests had only one hand on the table each. Their other hands were under the table and blushed and looked at the floor as she wondered what happened. Or what was happening.

She reached the table, carefully positioning herself so that she had no way of seeing what was happening under the table. With trembling hands, she shakily placed two dishes on the table, both covered by cloches.

"The… the main course." She said, stuttering a bit. "Stuffed quail with creamy mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus." She lifted the cloches, revealing the small bird and Percy started salivating at the smell.

"Please… enjoy…" Violet said before calmly walking to the exit, her service cart in tow. The moment the door closed behind her, she let out a shaky breath and started chuckling to herself uncontrollably. "Those two are… too much…" She said softly to herself so as not to be overheard. "They are a bit cute though…"

Back with Percy and Astra, the two were enjoying their meal, talking, teasing and flirting with each other. They were constantly interrupting each other's meal by spontaneously taking the other's hand, giving each other heated looks and getting lost in each other's eyes.

The champagne was steadily being consumed by the two throughout the night and it was almost out. Astra was going to call Violet back for another bottle when Percy stopped her by reminding her that she was driving.

He had been carefully watching their consumption of the alcohol and he had been slyly drinking more of the champagne to avoid Astra getting drunk. Strangely enough, he didn't feel much besides a slight buzz despite consuming most of the bottle, and even that was quick to fade.

The main course ended shortly after they picked their plates clean. Percy was a growing boy, he was always hungry and he easily finished his plate. Astra, on the other hand, didn't seem to be affected by calories or carb intake, her body was always jaw-droppingly perfect. Percy had seen her eat and despite being a graceful eater, she seemed to have the stomach for competitive eating.

Soon enough, Violet returned with dessert. She simply placed a tray on the table, told us to ring the bell when they needed her again, bowed and left the room.

Dessert was served on a three-tier circular platform. On the bottom tier, the largest layer, was a collection of pastries, they looked to be cream puffs. On the middle tier were eclairs neatly arranged around the platform. On the top tier, the smallest tier, was a lone, mid-sized tin of crème brulee. Spires of tuile cookies covered in sparkling sugar decorated it, connecting each tier to each other.

It was a sweet tooth's dream and a diabetic's nightmare.

"Astra…" Percy said while nudging her side. "There's too much."

"What are you talking about Percy?" She tilted her head to the side cutely. Her eyes were sparkling with joy. "We can take em! They're no match for us!"

"We're at the end of a five-course meal…" Percy said with a deadpan expression.

"And you're point is?"

Percy sighed in defeat. "You and your sugar obsession." There was no way of winning against this woman when it came to her sweets.

"I don't have a sugar obsession!" Astra exclaimed, punching him in the shoulder. She crossed her arms, turned away from him and puffed up her cheeks indignantly.

"Aw… c'mon Astra… don't be like that." Percy said in an apologetic voice but you could hear his smile in his voice.

Astra took one peek at him and saw his smiling face. "Hmph!" She turned away once more, now showing her back to him, her cheeks still puffed up but now with a pink tinge to them.

"Suit yourself. I'm just gonna eat these myself…" Percy stood, teasingly picked up the tray of desserts, and slowly walked away. As he expected, Astra came after him and snatched it from his hands.

"Fine! I have a sugar obsession!" She admitted as she snapped off a piece of tuile biscuit and started munching on it. "Happy?"

Percy smiled a full-blown grin. "Very." He said as he wiped some sparkling sugar from her lips and licked his now sugar-coated finger.

Astra watched Percy's tongue trace patterns on his finger as he licked the sugar off with wide eyes, and she found herself licking her lips where she could still taste the sweetness that Percy stole from her right under her nose. "Hey! That's my sugar."

"Oh, is it now." Percy continued his teasing. He really was having too much fun with her. He broke off a bit of tuile biscuit and ate it messily, making sure to get sugar all over his lips. "So…"

He was cut off when he was suddenly staring at shadowed eyelids. He tasted orange, rose petals and something impossibly sweet and felt a pair of soft, plump lips on his. Astra's tongue swept out and licked at his closed lips and he froze at the feeling. He wasn't expecting this. Percy just thought that she'd wipe his mouth and lick her finger like he did. Turns out he was sorely underestimating this woman.

Involuntary, almost instinctually, Percy's mouth parted and his tongue darted forward, making contact with hers in an open-mouthed kiss, and Percy felt a jolt go through his spine and heat spread through his body. He grabbed her by her waist, pulling her in closer to kiss her in earnest when he felt a hand on his chest gently push him away.

His hold on her was broken and Percy watched as Astra stepped back from him, her eyebrows knitted, her lips pursed and her face scarlet in a display of anger.

The pleasant warmth that he felt slowly petered out into cold dread. His body tensed and the color drained out of his once pink-tinted cheeks. His jaw clenched so hard that it hurt but he was glad it did. It distracted him from the sharp, searing pain in his chest.

'I've gone too far.' Percy guessed. He remembered all her words earlier. How she promised to be by his side and how she'll be his lucky star. 'I guess she didn't really mean all that.' His chest clenched painfully at the thought.

"I'm sor- "

"Percy." Astra said in a scolding voice, interrupting his apology and Percy's heart dropped.

'This is it.' Percy imagined her next words.

'I don't want to see you again.'

He closed his eyes and fisted his hands in his shirt, almost tearing it, preparing his ears and his mind for the words that would bring him nothing but pain and anguish.

"You almost made me drop the desserts!" She said raising the tray slightly. Her pursed lips formed into a pout.

Percy blinked twice. "What?"

"The desserts! I almost dropped the tray when you…" she trailed off as her lower lip quivered and she bit her lower lip to make it stop. "when we were… kissing…"

His eyes darted to her lips at her words, her bottom lip still helplessly trapped under her perfect, white teeth.

"So… you're not mad?" Percy asked, hope building inside him.

"Of course, I'm mad. What'll we do if I dropped them, huh?" She eyed the crème brulee with a sparkling look in her eye. "All these desserts would be wasted!"

Percy breathed a sigh of relief as the tension left his body. The thumping of his heart steadied and his jaw unclenched as he gave a soft chuckle that slowly grew into a full-on, boisterous laugh.

"Why are you laughing, Percy!" Astra demanded, pointing her finger at him accusingly while she balanced the tray of dessert in the other. "This is serious!"

"Sorry… Astra." He said as his laughter died down.

"Hmmm…" she placed a finger to her lips. "I guess I can forgive you… if you give me your share!" She hugged the tray to herself, carefully keeping the goodies safe.

Percy watched as she sat on the table and started on the crème brulee, smiling to himself in relief. He knew he overreacted when she pushed him away. She wasn't upset at the kiss. She was even the one who kissed him first.

"Fine." Percy said as he walked to the door. "But be careful. You might get fat."

"That'd never happen!" Astra managed to retort in between a spoonful of creamy goodness. She noticed him heading to the door and asked him where he was going.

"Bathroom."

Astra nodded and turned back to her treat.

When Percy stepped through the door, he saw their waitress standing nearby. She was examining her nails as she stood beside her cart.

Violet noticed him looking at her, fixed her posture so she was standing straight instead of leaning against the wall and gave him a bow. "Is there anything I can do for you?" She asked him as she her body straightened once more.

"Can you point me to the restroom?"

The waitress raised her eyebrow. "There's one in all the private rooms." She said as she gestured to the door he just left through.

"Huh. Guess I didn't notice." Percy said as he turned back to head inside. Before he closed the door closed completely, he peeked his head out and thanked Violet.

"Your welcome, sir." He heard her muffled voice as the door closed behind him.

He started looking around the room once more and saw a door to the left of the bed. He started walking towards it, picking up his discarded jacket from the floor on the way.

"That was fast." He heard Astra say when he was halfway through the room.

"Turns out, there's a bathroom right there." Percy pointed at the door.

"Mhm…" She intoned as she turned back to the dessert and resumed stuffing her face with cream puffs.

Percy laughed softly at the sight of her bloated cheeks, full of pastry. She looked like a chipmunk.

As he walked to the bathroom door and disappeared behind it, he didn't see the look on Astra's face.

She had stopped eating dessert and was looking at him wistfully and with unrestrained longing, a lone tear escaping her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Percy…"

* * *

Percy was washing his hands in the sink after he'd relieved himself. Although he didn't get drunk, he still drank a lot of champagne and he blasted it back out like a firefighter's hose. He was humming happily to himself as he lathered up his hands when he glanced at the mirror and scowled at what he saw.

Its face was slightly pudgy and rounded because of baby fat. Its skin was smooth and its face bare of any blemishes or hair. Its shoulders were narrow and its throat lacked the bump that men were supposed to have. It was him. And he saw just how much he looked like a child.

'Damn it!' His fists clenched as his nostrils flared. He looked into the reflection's eyes and hated what they saw, how young they were.

They were nothing like his mother's eyes which held the sadness she experienced in her life but also showing her capacity for love and kindness.

They weren't like Mr. Brunner's eyes, brimming with untold wisdom and knowledge.

They couldn't hold a candle to his Astra's eyes which were just so captivatingly beautiful and expressive, full of promises of fun, adventure and to Percy, companionship.

Even the violet eyes that have been haunting his every dream and, since he started to remember, his thoughts were filled with the pain of loss and the determination to overcome everything life throws at them, carefully hidden behind a blank façade.

His were so young, lacking the depth most grown-ups had. And he hated it.

In that moment, he so desperately wished that he was a few years older. He wanted to be taller, enough to at least look _her_ in the eye without craning his neck. He wanted to be more muscular so that he could wrap his arms around _her_ and keep her safe. He wanted to be smart enough that he wouldn't have to say goodbye to _her_ at the end of the year when he got expelled.

Percy wanted to be good enough for _her_.

'You'll be great someday. The kindest, bravest, most loyal man in the world.'

He remembered the words she whispered to him earlier that night. As he stood in front of the bathroom sink, he closed his eyes and imagined the scene once more. Soon, he found himself immersed in his memories.

Percy felt the phantom-sensation of her warm and chest behind his head. He smelt orange and rose petals and something distinctly Astra. He shivered as he felt her whisper in his ear once more.

'I'll always be by your side. I'll be your very own lucky star.'

His eyes snapped open as silky, velvet lips brushed against his forehead. He was breathing hard, his eyes unfocused and he was gripping the edge of the sink so hard that his knuckles were white.

"Astra…" he said in the empty bathroom, her name echoing on the marble tiles – or maybe it was just Percy hearing things.

It was then that he'd decided to be better. To live up to Astra's expectations of him. To become the man she thought he'd become. No, he'd be better than even that.

He promised this to himself. More than that, he promised to _her_.

* * *

While Astra and Percy were on their date, Grover had gone back to Yancy Academy within an hour of him leaving the museum. He was currently sitting in Mr. Brunner's office, in the same chair that he'd been sat at just yesterday.

"What was on your mind, my boy?" The wheelchair-bound teacher asked the beanie-wearing boy opposite him.

"It's about Percy, sir, as usual." Grover replied as he took one of the offered tin cans and started munching on it.

"Oh… and what has happened to Mr. Jackson? I noticed neither of you was on the bus." Mr. Brunner said as he put two cubes of sugar in his cup of tea.

"He's on a date…" The boy replied, carefully keeping his voice even and purposefully trailing off at the end. Mr. Brunner raised an eyebrow and motioned for him to continue. "… with the principal."

Mr. Brunner started nodding while absent-mindedly blowing on his tea when the words the registered. He sputtered and almost dropped the cup in surprise.

Grover laughed at the sight of the usually calm and composed man so off-balanced. And to think, all it needed to accomplish this feat was the thought of Percy and the principal together.

The boy allowed Mr. Brunner to collect himself before speaking once more, knowing that the man was going to demand details. "She ambushed is in the museum parking lot." He began, explaining the events that transpired to the curious teacher who was hanging onto his every word.

"We were, as you know, left by the bus." Mr. Brunner nodded at this. He noticed that there were two students missing and pointed this out to Mrs. Dodds, but all she said was that it was taken care of.

"So, there we were, hanging around the museum parking lot, thinking of a way to get back. Percy asked me to call someone on the phone you gave me but I don't really have anyone's number because somehow, we both forgot to enter your contact number." Grover said, a bit heatedly which made Mr. Brunner clear his throat awkwardly.

A long time ago, demigods, satyrs and anyone of their world couldn't use phones, lest they draw the attention of monsters within a hundred-mile radius. Fortunately, around five years ago, Chiron befriended a strange man who gladly helped them with their communication problem. He was given a long, thin, cylindrical tool that lit up and made a screeching noise when a button was pressed and a phone instantly worked for them without attracting monsters. This man was also the man who gave him his wheelchair, enchanted to have a trans-dimensional space for his horse half.

'I wonder where he is now.' Chiron thought, thinking of his friend, his strange blue box and the fetching woman that followed him around.

"So we tried to think of other ways to get back to Yancy…" Grover resumed his story, which broke Mr. Brunner of his thoughts about his friend. "I asked him how much cash he had on him and Percy found a note with Principal Black's number on it…" the boy smirked. "there was a kiss mark on the note."

The aged teacher's mouth curved into a smile, shared a knowing look with the boy and they giggled like gossiping teenager girls.

"Anyway…" Grover continued after the moment of hilarity. "We called the number when suddenly, the principal showed up suddenly. You should've seen Percy's face when he laid eyes on her. You could practically the hearts in his eyes." He laughed at the memory. "She was all dolled up and stuff… she basically got rid of me by giving me a hundred bucks for a taxi and practically dragged Percy away to her car."

The two shared another laugh as they imagined the sight of Percy fumbling around on his date, clueless to what he should do or what's happening. Neither of them had ever thought that something as harmless as a date could impact Percy's life so completely.

"This is all very amusing Grover, but I don't think that you've come to see me just to tell me this." Mr. Brunner said, turning serious as their conversation reached more important matters. "Don't get me wrong though, it was very entertaining."

The boy cleared his throat, shifting gears and preparing for a more paramount dialogue with Chiron, not as Mr. Brunner the teacher, but as the legendary trainer of heroes.

"The dreams, sir."

Chiron raised an eyebrow. "Yes. You've told me about them and I talked to Percy about it earlier on the way to the museum." He said, stroking his beard. "I find it highly curious that they started in December, right about the time the bolt was stolen."

Grover nodded. He found it quite suspicious as well, but he was with Percy almost constantly, even sharing a room with him, and he could never see Percy as the thief. He would have noticed if he was acting suspiciously, felt his emotions through his satyr abilities.

"I know sir, but I'm not meeting you about that."

"Has there been any change?" Chiron asked. When he talked about it with Percy on the bus, the boy looked troubled by the dreams but no more than that.

Grover nodded. "Something in the museum seemed to have jogged his memory. He's remembering some parts of it and the contents are… troubling." Grover paused, gathering his thoughts and choosing his words carefully.

Chiron let him think for a bit before asking for the specifics.

"Okay… first is that he dreams about a dark-haired girl running from monsters." Grover said to the man gravely. "I think it's about Thalia."

Chiron turned the thought around his head. "Are you sure it's about Thalia?" He asked finally after carefully examining the limited knowledge he had been given.

Grover rubbed the back of his head and averted his gaze. "Well… not really… he said the girl had violet eyes." He said.

"Then why did you think it was Thalia?"

Grover looked at the camp director in the eye. "Because he was dreaming of a raven-haired girl running from Cyclopes and other monsters up a familiar hill." He said, causing the centaur to suck in a surprised breath. "And I asked if there were any trees on the hill. There weren't any."

"Camp?" Chiron asked Grover. "He was dreaming about camp?"

"Yes, sir. He said he followed the girl until she reached the crest of the hill and saw a weird collection of buildings and a bonfire."

Chiron looked like he was thinking deeply. His gaze was a thousand miles away, his hand absently stroking his long beard and the other was drumming a slow beat on the arm of his wheelchair.

'What could this mean?' He thought. 'Percy is dreaming of a child of Zeus, one of the big three. Does this mean that he's also a child of Zeus and he's dreaming of his sister? Is it even Thalia he's dreaming of? And what about his dreams of camp? Demigods don't usually know about it unless they've been found by a satyr. Does this mean he's connected to the theft? Or is all this just a coincidence and I'm just grasping at nothing?'

His gaze fell on the half-finished scarf on his desk and followed the length until he was looking at the knitting tools he used in his down time.

'No. I can't hope for coincidence, not when the Greek gods are concerned.'

He was broken out of his thoughts when a loud crunch sounded from the satyr he was talking to. Grover was nervously chewing a tin can.

"Sorry." He mumbled around his full mouth.

"No, my boy. It's alright" The centaur said, dismissing the apology. He sighed. "About Percy, we can't do anything about it right now. We don't even know if it is Thalia he's dreaming of so we can't even try to figure out what's happening." He paused, thinking about any instructions he is to give to Grover. "Try to find out more about the dreams, but don't act suspicious. Dreaming of camp is rare but not unheard of and it usually means that it's about time for him to come, which is what we already expected."

Grover nodded in affirmative. He was already planning to do that, even without Chiron's instructions. But there was something else he hadn't said yet.

"There's more sir…" he began, once again drawing the centaur's attention. Chiron had once again stared into space before Grover spoke up. "He said that there's a man in a strange suit who told him about a gift…"

* * *

Percy and Astra had just left the secret venue and were now walking through the streets back to the car.

When Percy came back from the bathroom, Astra had already paid for their dinner and was waiting for him so they could leave. She was holding a small take-away box by the handle. Their masks were on the table, waiting to be worn.

It was Percy who was carrying the box now while Astra had her coat draped over her arm as they strolled to the car, hand in hand. The box was filled with leftover pastries – which Percy was surprised to see, he expected Astra to eat everything as she had claimed she would.

The two walked in comfortable silence until a boom of thunder sounded in the distance. Percy glanced up at the sky and saw the brightness of the full moon slowly get overtaken by dark clouds. "I think it's about to rain…" He said softly.

"The weather has been really weird lately." Astra said, also noticing the state of the sky. She lowered her eyes to Percy and gave him a teasing grin. "Let's hurry before we get wet!" She let go of Percy's hand and started running back to the car. "First one to the car gets the leftovers!"

Percy blinked in surprise at Astra's slowly shrinking form before a grin grew on his face. He started running after her, pumping his legs as hard as he could, laughing all the while.

He caught up to her easily. It wasn't like she was slow – she was actually pretty speedy – but Percy was abnormally fast. Even he was surprised at the speeds he was running, he wasn't this fast before.

Percy was fifty paces ahead of her as he exited the shabby alley they had parked close to and he ran straight into a wall. He almost fell to his butt if not for the large, meaty hand that held him up by the collar of his jacket.

"Woah, little man." He heard from above him. Looking up, Percy saw that he didn't bump into a concrete wall but into a wall of solid muscle. The man was huge, around six-foot-five with broad shoulders and muscles bulging through his leather jacket. His dark, oily hair was in a ponytail, his eyes covered by sunglasses and he had a gruff, unkempt beard.

'Seriously? Who wears sunglasses at night?' Percy thought as he stared at the sheer size of the man.

"You alright kid?" He nodded absently as he heard another voice further ahead and Percy saw a group of four men, all wearing black leather, around Astra's Bugatti. The man who spoke was examining the Bugatti's front and he was almost as ripped as the man Percy bumped into, but he was a bit shorter, maybe six-foot.

The other men were also large, though not as much as the first two. They were around the Bugatti, looking and admiring the car from different angles.

He spotted one of them by the driver's side door and Percy's eyes narrowed suspiciously. The man was holding something behind his back.

"Fine… now scram!" The man who spoke before told him dismissively as the man Percy bumped into started herding him away.

"No… wait… that's my friend's…" Percy was saying as he tried to get free of the man's bear-like mitts when rapid footsteps and frantic panting came from somewhere behind him and made him turn towards the alley.

"Percy!" It was Astra. She had arrived, her face flushed from exertion and gasping for breath. She was especially beautiful, looking like that, but Percy didn't feel the usual rush of excitement he often felt upon seeing her. No, he was afraid because Astra was gorgeous and it was so blatantly obvious that he knew the meatheads behind him were stunned by her.

The man stopped trying to get him to leave and he expected that the other men also stopped whatever it was they were doing. He heard a clang as something metallic fell on the concrete. The man by the driver's seat, the one holding something behind his back, had dropped the crowbar he was using to pry open the door.

"Well hello gorgeous." One of the men said, wolf whistling at Astra. "What's a pretty thing like you doing in a dump like this?"

"That's my car." Astra said, making Percy facepalm. Great, Astra. Tell the carnappers you just walked in on them trying to steal your car.

"Ooohhh… may I just say, you have wonderful taste." The man who whistled said to her. "But I'm going to have to ask you to forget about this car. It's ours now…" He eyed her sensual body with a hair-raising look in his eye. "Or maybe you'd like to have some fun with us…"

Percy bristled with rage. "Hey!" He exclaimed angrily, drawing the men's attention to himself and away from his Astra.

"Beat it kid." The man closest to Percy said as he was pushed away forcefully, throwing him onto his back, his head slamming painfully on the pavement.

"Percy!" Astra rushed to his side, a worried look on her face. "Are you alright?" She asked as she held his head and started examining it for bumps.

"I'm fine." Percy lied. His head was throbbing in pain and he couldn't see straight. He saw two Astras which was something Percy would usually fantasize and dream about. This wasn't a dream though, it was nightmare happening in reality.

"C'mon darling…" A hand enclosed Astra's slender arm and pulled her up and away from Percy. "The kid's fine… forget about him and let's go have some fun."

Percy struggled to get up but his head was killing him. It was pounding like a drum and his world was spinning.

Lightning flashed above and thunder boomed. Rain started to fall, a light drizzle that quickly started pouring. Percy felt energized by the rain, his head stopped pounding and he managed to sit himself up on the concrete pavement.

What greeted his newly steady gaze made his blood boil. Astra was struggling against one of the men who was holding her in place from behind, sniffing her hair that had somehow got undone from it's tight do, while another was stroking her face with a gleeful, perverted look on his face. The three other men were busy getting her car open and the sound of car alarms began accompanying the symphony of thunder and rain.

He felt something build up in his throat. Something raw and primal. His head started throbbing once more, not in pain, but in a flaming hot rage. His heart paused its frantic beating, as if stalling, and then returned with a vengeance with slow, ear-shattering pounding in time with his throbbing head.

'MINE!' Something inside him roared and he surged to his feet. He felt his strength fill his growing, his body was burning hot, the rain falling on his skin almost steaming, fueled by a fiery, inferno-like rage.

Astra suddenly stopped struggling. Somehow, she felt a familiar tingling below her navel, like electricity, and she gasped in surprise. It was something she had yearned to feel again. She hadn't felt _it_ respond in years… not since that time she was left behind.

The men took her actions as a surrender and the man cupping her cheek grinned in anticipation of enjoying the wonderful, warm, alluring body of the woman they had caught.

Then Percy roared, a rough, guttural, gut-wrenching sound coming from his throat. The men flinched and they felt fear. They turned to the sound and saw Percy staring at them with rage and hate churning in his eyes, like a typhoon on the wide-open sea.

"She's mine." He said, his voice barely below a whisper but somehow, they all heard it even over the pattering of the rain, the explosions of thunder and the annoying whine of Astra's car alarm. "You DARE TOUCH HER!" He roared at the end and in an explosion of speed, he was right next to the man closest to him, the wall of muscle he bumped into, and kicked out his leg with all his considerable, rage-induced strength.

To the surprise and horror of the remaining men, their friend, the largest and burliest of them all, was sent flying by the little twerp of a kid. The kicked man sailed in the air for a couple of meters until he slammed into a nearby wall head first, yelling in surprise and pain as he did so. For a moment, he stuck to the wall almost comically before he slowly slid down until he was slumped on the ground, unconscious.

An imprint of the man was left on the wall.

"M-monster!" One of the men trying to pry open the door yelled, pointing his crowbar at Percy. The boy roared in response, making the man jerk fearfully and drop the crowbar.

"Sh-shut up M!" The man who was stroking Astra's face said to the man who had the crowbar. "He's just a kid. He probably got lucky when he knocked T out." Percy's gaze turned to him and he was taken aback at his eyes. They had a wild, demented look to them and he felt the depth of Percy's anger.

It was understandable though. The boy was furious with all the leather-clad men, but he was especially outraged at that particular man. He was the one touching Astra. It was that man who was taking Astra away from him!

Impossibly, his rage surged with a renewed intensity, burning even hotter than before. If one could characterize his earlier anger as a burning inferno, now it's like an eruption of lava, burning and consuming everything in its path, leaving nothing behind, not even ash.

"YOU!" He roared and walked towards the man. With every step he took, the man stepped back fearfully, trying to keep his distance from the dangerous, spirit of rage that had him in its sights. "YOU TRIED TO TAKE HER FROM ME!"

"S-Stay back!" The man cowered when his back finally reached the wall. He reached into his leather jacket and brought out a small firearm, a pistol. "I-I'm w-warning you!"

As their friend drew his gun, the other men leaped into action. The one holding Astra let go of his hold on her and she was pushed to the side, forgotten like yesterday's news. The men started drawing different weapons like switchblades, thick steel chain lasso and one of the men, M he was called, picked up his crowbar off the ground. Surrounding the boy, trapping him between them, they gained a bit more of their confidence.

"Walk away!" The man with the gun yelled at Percy as the boy looked around him at the men and their weapons. "This doesn't have to end with you bleeding on the ground! Just let us take the car and no one has to get hurt."

Percy's eyes finished taking note of the other men, his ADHD helping him notice details like their positioning, their weapons – like the fact that the chain was actually a lasso – and the fact that M's hands were trembling as he held his crowbar. His gaze returned to the man with the gun. "You're wrong." He said softly. "You tried to take what was mine! You're going to feel pain."

He acted, striking first at the hand holding the gun. He struck hard, making the gun, already loose and slippery from the rain, fly out the man's hands. In another instant, he punched the taller man in the torso, right above the heart, and the man fell to the floor hugging his chest in pain.

The other men sprung into the fray. The man with the switchblade tried to take a swipe at Percy while the boy was turning to take out M, the man trembling in fear at the boy he was facing. Lightning overhead flashed and the glint of steel caught Percy's eye and jogged something in Percy's memory. He gripped M's shaking arm with both of his and pivoted, just as he remembered a certain violet haired girl do, pulling M along, spinning them around until they switched places.

"Argh!" M yelled as a long cut sprouted on his uncovered arm and he cradled his bleeding limb, dropping his crowbar once again.

This time though, there was no clatter of metal on the pavement. Percy caught the crowbar as it fell and swung it at M, catching the taller man in the side. There was a sickening crack as there was something in the man's torso that broke and he screamed in pain as he fell to the ground, carefully making sure his broken ribs were safe from impact.

The two remaining men looked at each other, silently making a decision. Reaching an unspoken agreement, the two turned to run, but Percy's rage prevented him from letting them go. Raising the crowbar above his head, he tensed his muscles as he put all his strength in his arms. He aimed his weapon at the man with the steel chain and released the crowbar in an expertly made axe throw..

The crowbar turned in the air once, twice, three times before it reached the man, hitting him on the back. The man yelled as the crowbar struck, the pain making him stumble and fall flat on his face.

Right after the crowbar left Percy's hands, he was sprinting after the men. He picked up the steel chain from the downed man's slack hold and started spinning the end. As the chain gained speed and momentum, the boy threw the chain forward like he was an expert cowboy with a lasso.

"Come back here!" Percy yelled as the chain lasso wrapped around the fleeing man and he was pulled back, promises of pain being whispered in his ear.

"No!" The man struggled, desperately trying to run away as he was slowly inching closer and closer to the dangerous twelve-year old. It was no use. Percy was abnormally strong, his scrawny, kiddy arms exerting tremendous force.

When he was finally, inevitably dragged right into Percy's striking range, the man turned around, facing the boy and brandished his switchblade dangerously. The man was already fucked, he knew, be he wasn't going down without a fight.

Percy managed to dodge the first swipe of the blade, gaining only a superficial cut on his cheek. Surprising the man, he threw the end of the chain in his hand right into his opponent's face, hitting him on the nose, stunning him.

"Gah!" He screamed, a hand coming up to his nose to try and stop the bleeding but Percy didn't give him the chance.

The boy caught the falling end of the chain, now stained red, and started running around the stunned man, wrapping him in chains. When the man was securely bound, the boy stopped and admired his work.

"Stay there for a bit, yeah?" He said as he turned his back to the man, the cool rain starting to quell his burning fury.

That is until he saw the man with the gun had recovered his weapon and was pointing it at him, Astra in his grip.

"Stop right there!" The man screamed, wincing at the exertion as his chest was still hurting. He recovered quickly though and continued his threat. "Or we'll see if this babe's still hot with an extra hole in her head!"

Percy's heart stopped as the man stopped aiming at Percy and held the muzzle to Astra's temple. Then his rage came back with a vengeance, turning from volcanic to nuclear.

'MINE!' There it was again. Something inside Percy, roaring at him. 'SHE'S MINE!'

"LET HER GO!" He roared and the man felt his ears begin to bleed at the sheer volume of the sound.

"Uh uh." He said, waving the gun dismissively but still keeping the barrel pointed at Astra. "You're gonna let me walk away or else…" he placed the barrel of the gun to Astra, this time into her breast. "Bye bye hottie."

Percy felt like he was burning inside his rage was so hot. He wanted to rip the man apart, piece by piece. He felt a roaring in his ears and a tug in his gut.

"Looky looky… the rain's stopping." The man pointed out, keeping his eyes on the enraged boy. "The heavens smile down upon the scumbag…" He laughed insanely like he just told a hilarious joke.

The boy was getting tired again. The energy that the rain brought him was ebbing away quickly, like something was draining his vitality. His white-hot rage kept his strength up but the strain on his mental capacities was starting to affect him. All he could think about was rescuing Astra from this vile man and destroying him.

Throughout all the things happening around her, Astra was being unexpectedly calm. She was just watching the beatdown Percy was giving the vile men from a safe distance. One of her hands were playing with her hair, twirling the blonde locks around her finger, while the other was on her belly, right below her navel. She savored the sensations that she was feeling after so long of it being absent and her panties got drenched – and it wasn't because of the rain. Her face was flushed pink and her eyes unfocused as she watched Percy dominate men almost twice his size.

She almost didn't notice when she was taken hostage. All of her attention and focus was on Percy and she didn't even struggle when he felt the gun pointed at her head. Her gaze never strayed from Percy, even as the gun dug into her breast painfully and as the rain stopped.

She believed in him. Percy wasn't going to let her get hurt.

"Wha!?" The man suddenly exclaimed as something tugged at his arms. They were shadows, black as night, entangling his limbs and restraining him. "What is this?! What's happening?!"

He looked at Percy. The boy was dead on his feet. Even with all his strength and speed, taking out all five of them easily, he was still a boy and all the energy he had was gone. The boy looked like he could fall over any second, his eyes clouded with exhaustion. Suddenly, the boy's eyes steeled, and the rage and fury he had seen before had returned with a vengeance.

"What are you?!" The man yelled, terror in his voice. The shadows holding him down tightened and in a desperate measure to regain control, he pulled the trigger.

"NOOO!" Percy screamed as a gunshot reverberated in his ears and the man was yanked away from Astra by the shadows. He ran forward, stumbling in his exhaustion, and reached Astra who was lying on the ground.

His rage intensified as he saw her unmoving body, still drenched by the rain. He fell to his knees right beside her and cradled her head in his lap. She was looking up at him blankly and Percy's anger petered out as his heart dropped in anguish.

He felt raindrops once again fall on his head as his shoulders shook and tears started flowing down his face. He was looking into her eyes, he was so close to her beautiful blue eyes that he could see the small flecks of green in them. Percy's tears dropped onto Astra's flush cheeks, mixing in with the wetness left by the rain.

Then Astra blinked. "Percy? Why are you crying?" She asked.

Percy's breath caught in his throat. "What?" He asked, surprise and hope in his voice. His eyes blinked twice, releasing more tears glistening in his eyes. "Astra? You… you're alive!"

"Of course, I am, silly. You protected me, didn't you?" She asked, reaching up and wiping the tears away. "Didn't I already tell you that I'd always be by your side?"

The boy felt relief flood throughout his body. She was alive. His Astra was alive!

He pulled her up into a sitting position as he wrapped his arms tightly around her. "I thought you were dead!" He cried into her hair, nuzzling the blonde curls.

"You can't get rid of me that easily…" She whispered to him as she returned the embrace and holding Percy close.

The rain once again stopped as the two had their arms wrapped around each other.

Astra was basking in Percy's hot, burning body, the leftover ashes of his burning rage. She lost herself for a moment in his salty, sea-breeze scent that she didn't notice Percy slowly losing consciousness.

When the boy suddenly slumped his head on her shoulder, Astra smiled and squeezed her arms around him.

She heard a loud splash and watched, wide eyed, as several hundred liters of water fell on the man who had taken her hostage. He was sputtering on the ground a few meters away from them as he gasped for breath when the torrent eased.

His gun was on the ground, right outside the splash area, and Astra could see a lingering shadow covering the muzzle.

She looked at the boy sleeping peacefully on her shoulder and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. "Thank you."

* * *

Chaos was watching the events unfold. He was sitting in a room shaped in a half-circle that had black walls. On the walls was an accurate mural of the universe, the planets spinning on their axis and the distant stars twinkling as if the images were in real time.

The creator was gazing into the sphere perched on the top of his cane. Unlike the last time Percy saw the him, the sphere wasn't black nor was it spinning. It was a clear sphere, like a crystal ball, and Chaos quietly observed Percy's fight on it.

He saw how the rage overtook the boy, heat steaming off of his body and how he utterly massacred the men who tried to take and use Astra for their sick desires. His forehead moved, like he was raising an eyebrow, as he watched Percy use his powers in his blind rage.

The rain didn't stop. Percy held it back. For a mile-wide radius, the rain suddenly paused and hovered in the air.

Chaos observed, impressed, as Percy stopped the raindrops mid-fall and collect it into one large body of water. The controlled liquid quivered for a bit and the creator noticed Percy gently cradling Astra's head before getting back under control when he discovered she was alive.

"He's got this strong already?" Chaos asked aloud to himself. "I only gave him his gift this morning!" He rubbed his hands like a villain watching his master plan unfold. "I guess I chose correctly."

He tapped his cane on the ground softly and the sphere spun in a counter-clockwise motion. The image rewound and Chaos watched Percy lose himself in his rage once more. "A bit angry though… but I guess it's because of _that._ " He said, rubbing his hairless chin. "A few modifications in the system should help suppress it, but I didn't expect that it would be so strong. He hadn't even used the blood itself yet…" He saw Percy throw the crowbar like a professional axe-thrower. "Maybe we should have another chat…"

He tapped his cane once more and this time, the sphere spun in a clockwise motion. The image sped up until the sun rose once more and the image showed Percy in the morning after.

"Oh my…" Chaos let out, seeing something that made even his cheeks pink. "Maybe I'll talk to him later…"

* * *

Percy woke up tired. So very tired. His body felt like lead weights, he couldn't even lift them. His eyelids refused to lift like they were superglued shut. He even had the usual dream and the feelings it always invoked in him didn't help matters in the slightest.

At least he was comfortable. His exhausted body was lying sideways on something that felt really nice, like he was lying on a bed with expensive silk sheets. There was also this warm, comfortable… something that was nearby and the soft heat it exuded was lulling him to the world of dreams once more. His face and hands were buried in something that felt like really soft, warm marshmallows.

He hugged the… something… closer to his body, seeking more warmth and comfort and he fell asleep once more as he felt slender hands wrap around him.

* * *

This time, he didn't dream of violet eyes or monsters – he already had that dream earlier. He dreamt of blue eyes flecked with green, platinum blonde curls and a sensual body in a gorgeous red dress wrapping its arms around him to a soundtrack of whispered promises.

'I'll wait for you Percy. I'll always be by your side. I'm your very own lucky star.'

The dream went on and on, drowning Percy in comforting words and feelings and smiled blissfully. Then the dream shifted and he was in a sea-themed room, eating dessert with the most breathtaking woman in the world.

'Mine.' Dream Percy said to dream Astra. 'You're mine.'

Dream Astra nodded at him happily. 'Yes. I'm yours forever. Through all of space and time, I'll be yours.'

Dream Percy smiled and returned to the plate of dessert in front of him. Marshmallows. He took a bite of the delectable treat and a pleasured moan caught his attention. He stared at the plate of marshmallows curiously. He took another piece and bit into the sugary soft sweet and another moan sounded out.

He raised his eyebrows incredulously as he stared at the marshmallows when his chair, followed by the table and the décor spontaneously transformed into marshmallows. Eventually, he was left lying on a room made entirely out of soft, gooey marshmallow.

Percy felt the tenderness of the soft candy in his hands, and there was another soft moan, this time right in his ear.

He laughed in delight and fell face first into the floor. The impact was cushioned because even the ground was made of bouncy marshmallows. He started munching, nibbling, biting and licking on the marshmallows while his hands squeezed everything he could reach. All the while, soft, sensual moans sounded in the room which encouraged Percy even more.

As he started going through the marshmallow floor, he found a single piece of pink, hard, marble-sized candy, something like a skittle. He started on it, licking it slowly in between strong sucks. The flavor was saltier than he expected, he guessed cherry, but it was like he couldn't get enough of it. The moans eventually turned into shrieks as Percy started biting on the pink skittle. The hard candy seemed to go on forever, for no matter how hard Percy sucked on the marble-like treat, it never seemed to shrink and it popped back into shape after every bite.

His hands weren't idle at all. They never stopped squeezing the softness around him and Percy's legs joined the party, squeezing a lump of marshmallow between them.

Percy suddenly jolted awake as he felt his pants get drenched in something sticky. 'Great… I'm having wet dreams now… and about marshmallows and candy too!'

His eyes remained closed though, as his body was still wrapped up in such a comfortable warmth. As he breathed in deeply he smelt the scent of orange, rose petals and something he couldn't describe but it made his penis hard. Then the soft, labored panting reached his ears and his eyes jolted open as he felt something creep into his pants.

A sight of creamy, pale skin, littered with light bruises and teeth marks greeted his newly opened eyes. His face was smushed against the soft flesh of Astra's breast, his mouth still attached to a stiff nipple. One of his arms was wrapped around her upper back, pulling her flush against him, and he could feel one of her arms doing the same to him while his other hand was under her pale-pink panties and on her perky ass, still mid-squeeze and he could feel her tender flesh spilling out of his grip. To top things off, squeezing between their pressed together bodies was her hand, slowly gently fondling his package underneath his shorts.

He tried to get out of her grip, panicking slightly but it was no use. Their legs were tangled together, her hold on him was solid and his body still felt a bit heavy from last night's ordeal.

"Uhhh…. Percy…" he heard her moan and he glanced up to look at her face. Her eyes were closed, and her breath was slow and even. "Don't go… to her… stay with me…" She said softly, making him wonder what she was talking about when he realized she was sleep-talking and his focus shifted to the fact that even in her dreams she wants him to be with her.

His thoughts were interrupted when she started gently stroking his hardness with her small, soft hands. He let out a groan and got lost in the feel of her hand as it went up and down on little Percy before regaining coherence and renewing his struggle.

Taking his one free arm – the other was trapped beneath Astra – he gently tried to push her away from him but Astra pulled him in even tighter and his mouth once again closed around her nipple. He pulled his head back, but she used the arm wrapped around him to push his head forward and his tongue brushed up against the stiff pink cherry.

Feeling him still struggling, the half-asleep Astra stopped her stroking and took her hand out of his pants. He would deny it if asked, but Percy was a bit disappointed at the loss. Then her hand rose to his chest and the disappointment vanished as she started playing with his nipples.

That was when Percy noticed that all he was wearing were silk boxer shorts, and they weren't even his.

Then Astra grinded her wet, hot core against his tented boxers and he bit down on the pebbled nipple in his mouth to hold back a groan. The teeth biting on her stiff tips made Astra moan in pleasure and her grinding intensified.

Percy tried, he really did, but the feeling was too good, the promise of pleasure too much, and he used the hand on her ass to pull her in and grinded right up against her. His mouth was busy licking, sucking and biting at her breasts, adding to the impressive collection of hickeys and love bites he already made in his sleep, and the hand trapped underneath Astra joined the other on her fleshy ass.

It never occurred to him that he could stop all this by waking Astra up to full consciousness, but he was too occupied at exploring the wonderland that is Astra's body. Or maybe it did occur to him but he just didn't want to stop.

All Percy knew was the feel of soft, supple flesh, her orange and rose-petal scent, the salty taste of her sweaty breasts, the warmth of her wet core and the sounds of Astra's moaning voice.

One of his hands gave her ass a quick but firm slap above her underwear and he heard Astra make a pained noise, which made him feel a bit guilty until he noticed that she actually sped up her grinding. He slapped her once more and this time, he could detect the pleasured undertones of her pained cry and he groaned as her core discharged more of her sweet juices.

Giving her ass another slap and enjoying the sound she made upon doing so, his hand started to trail upwards when he felt silky fabric at her midsection. It was a white shirt, the first few buttons undone – which were what caused Astra's breasts to be exposed to Percy's delight – hanging loosely on her and covering her from just above her belly button and her crotch.

He wanted it gone, to rip it apart so that all that came between them were their underclothes but he resisted the urge. Instead, he creeped his hand in from above. He started at the nape of her neck and he gently ran his hand down her spine.

She shuddered as Percy started stroking along her back.

The boy, who didn't really seem like a boy at that moment, at least judging by how wet the woman he was pleasuring, wondered why she hadn't woken up yet when his grinding turned frantic as he felt the end coming.

What he didn't know was that Astra had fainted right before she woke up in the biggest orgasm she'd had since forever. Granted, she'd only ever been with one man. She had only responded to the hardening of his member out of familiarity. Her motions were done based on the memories she treasured deep in her heart.

Percy didn't know any of that. All he knew was her and the pleasure he felt between them. His grinding stopped suddenly as he finished in his boxers and he held back a groan by biting on her shoulder while Astra had no such luxury. She shrieked in ecstasy as another big orgasm hit her for the second time that day and she once again fainted due to the overload of sensations.

A pool of sticky fluid pooled beneath the couple, drenching the bed as proof of their coupling.

He bit Astra's pink nipple playfully one last time, as if his mouth was promising they'd meet again, and rolled onto his back and caught his breath, noticing that Astra's hold on him had slackened.

Percy lied down for a moment as he waited for his breathing to even before rolled off the bed. He rolled around for a whole four passes – the bed was that large – before he reached the end and his feet touched the floor.

He stood and looked around the room he was in. The floor soft under his feet, covered by a black carpet with star-shaped designs. The walls were white, square paneled wood with every square trimmed by sea-green accents.

The bed was huge and beautifully decorated – though it could just be the woman lying in it that made it look beautiful to Percy. Five or six people could lie comfortable on it and there were mountains of different colored pillows.

The room décor reflected the woman who lived there perfectly. Strange and childish, but also warm, comforting and seductive. The ceiling was littered with stars and Percy guessed that they glowed in the dark.

Hanging on the walls were framed pictures and paintings. Percy knew that some of them, if not all, were done by Astra herself, so he started looking at them intently. He was trying to guess whether or not it was Astra who did the piece.

The first, a painting, was easy. He already knew that it was Astra who did it, she just showed Grover, Gregor and him a picture of it yesterday. Yes… it was a black and white painting of a muscled colonel Sanders.

The next one was a bit harder. It was another painting but this time it was a landscape. He sucked in a breath at the image. The painting was of the New York skyline at sunset, right when the day was turning to night, and the colors used were beautiful. The various blends of orange and blue used was eye-catching.

He moved on, not taking a guess at the New York painting. At first, he thought that the painting was far too exquisite to be done by an amateur but he thought of Astra; his kind, wonderful, gorgeous, talented Astra; and he started to think that she'd painted the picture.

When he arrived at the next frame on the wall, his breathing hitched and little Percy twitched. It wasn't a painting but a picture. The image was taken on a beach, that much was obvious. There were sandy shores, the blue and green sea and waves rolling in, captured in a single, prefect moment.

What made Percy react wasn't the sea. It was of the perfect, bikini-clad figure in the picture. The image, you see, was in first person and the photographer was looking at the sea down her body which was on its back, basking in the sun.

'Definitely Astra...' he thought as he drank in the sight of the perfect body in the picture. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts, as little Percy started waking back up to full. Looking at the image one last time, he took his leave, willing his hard-on to fade.

He was walking along the wall, thinking about Astra again when he bumped into something.

There was a vanity table in pushed against one side of the room and Percy walked straight into it. On its surface were different types of makeup, though Percy liked a natural-looking Astra best, he also thought she looked gorgeous in her makeup last night.

Aside from the makeup, small toys rested on the vanity like toy dinosaurs, knights, princesses, superheroes, cars and something that warmed Percy's heart. It was a knitted doll with dark hair, sea-green eyes and wearing the Yancy School uniform.

Percy picked up the doll and examined it closely. It was definitely him. Percy saw the frayed edges, the uneven distance between the eyes and the poorly done mouth and his heart caught in his throat as he realized that Astra made it himself.

He was still holding the doll, looking at it's imperfections and admiring them when Astra woke up.

"Percy…" She called out to him, yawning as she did so and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Her hair was unkempt, her large breasts and chest full of light bruises and teeth marks from Percy's mouth, her white shirt crumpled and pooled around her midriff, her thick thighs and toned legs folded beneath her and of course, the wet pool of sticky liquid still gently leaking from her core made Percy stop his examination of the doll and just look at her.

He drank in the sight of a freshly woken Astra and he wanted to see this every day, he thought to himself. "I'm here…"

Astra opened her sleepy eyes fully and looked straight at him, a dazzling grin on her face. She leapt up to a standing position on top of the huge bed and ran across the room to him. "Percy!" She glomped him, wrapping her arms around the boy and leaning down to kiss his lips.

Percy let her and their lips met in another explosive kiss. She licked at his lips and, like before, Percy's mouth parted and his own tongue darted out to meet hers. His hands went underneath her drenched panties to her derriere, he really liked her ass, and fondled her cheeks gently as their lips locked.

'You'll be the kindest, braves, most loyal man…'

Her words echoed in his head and he remembered the promise he made. It was the hardest thing he thought he'd ever do in his life as the feeling of her kiss and the taste of her lips made it incredibly, impossibly difficult, but he had to do it. He took let go of her ass and with trembling hands gripped her by the shoulders. He gripped them hard, enough to cause pain, but Astra just moaned into the kiss, getting more into it and making his task even harder.

With his heart thumping slowly and something inside him roaring at him to claim her now, he pulled her in by the shoulders and deepened the kiss for a moment, in an effort to imprint the feeling into his memories, before firmly pushing her away.

He gasped at the effort. It was so hard pushing her away. Percy glanced at Astra's face, who looked shocked, hurt and betrayed, with tears starting to glisten in the blue eyes that Percy loved and he felt his heart break.

He wanted to take her back in his arms, say he's sorry, and kiss her senseless, but he promised…

"Percy?" She choked out and Percy wanted to punch himself for making sound like that. "What? Why did you…"

"Astra…" He said, trying to keep his voice firm but he ended up choking on her name anyway. "I'm sorry…"

Then the tears fell and Percy's resolve wavered but he wanted to keep his promise.

If Percy didn't feel like shit, he would've laughed darkly at the situation he found himself in. He was kissing the girl of his dreams, feeling like he was on top of the world, and he had to ruin it. Now he was facing Astra, completely naked save for her pale pink panties – her shirt was pooled at her feet, with him in nothing but boxers, and she was crying because of him.

"What are you saying?" She asked looking down at the floor, hiding her face as she desperately tried to wipe her tears away.

"I want to be good enough for you." He said and Astra looked up at him with her tears still trailing down her cheeks. "I want you to be with the kindest, bravest, most loyal man in the world."

Astra's hand rose to cover her mouth as more tears started to fall, this time filled not with sadness but with hope.

"So…" Percy began, taking a deep breath to collect himself and to hide how nervous he felt. "Wait for me until then, okay?"

She nodded, her mouth still hidden behind her hand and tears still on her cheeks. She stepped forward, finally showing Percy her quivering lips, and embraced him once more in her arms.

Percy breathed a sigh of relief, wrapping his own arms around the girl of his dreams.

"Astra?"

"Yes, Percy?"

"Where are we?"

A.N.

End of Chapter 5

Phew! That was a long chapter, wasn't it.

Apologies. I've been a bit busy with my last semester of college and my laptop broke down while I was halfway through one version chapter 4 and I lost all my files so... Anyways, here's something to make up for the long absence. A super long, 20k+ word chapter.

This is one roller-coaster ride of emotions as Percy and Astra take a step forward (read: huge leap) in their relationship. Although it was necessary as it gave Percy motivation to improve. In most other gamer stories (this story will be a gamer story... eventually...) the novelty of living life like a game is usually enough for the protagonists to want to improve but this story doesn't begin with gamer powers so he needed some sort of motivation to get better.

I'm sorry if some of the events are too dramatic or something but I tried my best! They can also be a bit cringy. Again, sorry. I don't really know how to write intimate scenes. Also a bit of fanservice at the end but it had to be done... I considered not coming back to this story after I lost my first version of chapter 4, but I had all these ideas in my head and I just had to put them to words. A lot of those thoughts and ideas had to do with Astra so she's gettin' a little lovin' in this chapter. (wiggles eyebrows knowingly)

I wrote this chapter in five... almost six days, but don't expect chapters of this length regularly...

Anyways, some last words...

Read and Review guys! Let me know what you think...

See you next chapter!


	6. What Am I To You?

Percy Jackson and Andromeda's Lament

Chapter 5: What Am I To You?

"Astra?"

"Yes Percy?"

"Where are we?"

* * *

The two were still wrapped up in each other as Percy voiced his question. He had his guesses, but he wanted to be sure before assuming anything.

Astra hummed for a moment, reveling in the feeling of her skin in contact with his. "We're… at my place… It's a penthouse in the city…" She said, out of breath still because of her earlier show of emotions. "I took you here when you passed out last night…"

The boy nodded into her chest – their height difference taking effect – and wrapped his arms tighter around her. "I'm so relieved you're safe, Astra… When those men took you I just… I lost it. I was so afraid that I'd lose you…" Percy said softly before a bit of steel seeped into his voice and his arms started crushing her to him, desperate to feel her closer. "And so… _angry_ that they were going to take you from me."

Astra didn't struggle, even though it started to hurt. She gently started to stroke Percy's hair, running her slender fingers over his raven locks. "Shhh… I'm here Percy… They didn't hurt me… and they didn't take me…"

"What happened?" He loosened his grip, just a bit, but not at all letting go. He was still wrapped up in Astra as she continued her movements on his hair. It was soothing and comforting.

"You don't remember?"

"I remember beating them up… then that one guy had you hostage… then…" Percy trailed off. His memories started getting fuzzy at this point. "Then I think he shot a blank?"

"Yeah…" Astra told him, not bothering to correct his memory. It wasn't a blank, she really was shot at but Percy protected her. "It doesn't matter now. They're gone. Called the cops on them before I drove off."

Percy hummed in agreement. It was over. He didn't have to think about it anymore. Astra was safe and she was right here, in his arms. Right where she should be.

Several moments passed, the two just holding onto each other. They weren't talking but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence. Rather, they were just basking in the presence of each other.

"Um… Astra?" He said a few minutes later, breaking the silence.

"Mhmmm?"

"We're still… naked… y'know…" Percy stammered out, now getting a bit flustered at the situation they were in. His face was buried in the valley of Astra's breasts since a while ago. Despite everything that he did earlier this morning, that was all because he got caught up in the moment and he was still a twelve-year old boy.

"I know Percy…" Astra replied, not a hint of embarrassment in her voice. "But we're not naked you know… I have on some panties and you're in boxers…"

Percy blushed at her bold statement. He felt the stickiness in his boxers, the result of Percy and Astra's fun on the bed and disentangled himself from Astra's embrace. He turned his back to her, rubbing the back of his head and his face bright red.

"A-about that… I don't remember ever owning a pair of silk boxers…" Percy stammered out, his eyes darting around the room, trying to avoid looking over his shoulder at the panty-clad Astra. "Where… where're my clothes?

The woman in question pouted at Percy's back. She was having fun playing with his soft hair. "They got wet in the rain, so I put them in the wash… and I bought some clothes for you!"

Percy nodded. He was grateful for the thought but still… "You do know that I had some clothes in the car, right? You know, the ones I wore to the museum…" He heard a nervous giggle behind him.

"Ooops?"

The boy's palm met his forehead with a resounding slap. "Astra?!"

The soft, nervous giggling turned to full blown laughter at Percy's actions. He tried to keep a stern face for a moment longer but the rambunctious sound of Astra's mirth was too infectious and he found himself turning to face her and laugh along.

It took a while longer for the laughter to subside. Once it did, it left Astra gazing at Percy shamelessly while the boy's eyes were looking everywhere but at her.

"We should probably get dressed." Percy said, still avoiding Astra's nearly nude form.

"Yeah…" Astra said, still looking at Percy. "The clothes I bought you are through there." She pointed at a large painting on the wall to the left of the bed.

"Where?" Percy asked. He didn't see where Astra was pointing at because he was still doing everything he could to avoid looking at her body.

"There Percy!" Astra said, now forcefully pointing at the painting. "The painting!"

Percy looked around the room, trying to guess what painting she meant but there were so many of them. He gave up and looked in Astra's direction. She was still wearing only her pink panties and the white button-up shirt that was hanging onto her frame was rumpled on the floor a few paces behind her. Because of her enthusiastic pointing, her breasts were jiggling enticingly and Percy could see all the bruises and teeth marks on them.

'I did that.' Percy blushed at the thought.

Following Astra's pointed finger, he finally saw the painting she was talking about. It was of a dragon standing on a tall, stone watchtower with its wings outstretched like it was about to take to the skies. The dragon had rough-looking black scales all over it's body. It had long, scale-covered horns and big wings. It was glowing red in some parts of the body, at the torso and neck, like it was gathering flames in its lungs. The dragon's mouth was wide open, in a roar or to breathe fire Percy guessed, and row upon row of long, dagger-like teeth was visible.

What Percy found out of place though were its eyes. For such a scary black dragon, he expected ruthless, serpentine, blood-red eyes. Instead it had warm, protective green eyes.

He liked the painting, sure, but Percy felt something stir within him as he gazed upon the dragon.

"Ummm, Astra?" Percy asked, still looking at the dragon in the painting. He swore the dragon was looking right back at him. "Where're the clothes?"

"The painting's a door, silly. Push it in a bit!"

Percy walked right up to the painting and as Astra told him to do, gently pressed down on the painting. He heard something click and the painting swung inwards by itself, revealing a walk-in closet.

"Woah!" Percy exclaimed as he entered the closet. It was huge, bigger than his room at his mom's apartment. Directly in front of the entrance was an ornate full-body mirror. Shelves and clothing racks lined the walls. There were so many clothes that only Astra's dresses, coats and business suits filled up the space on the racks. Her shirts, pants and other clothing had to be stacked on the shelves.

One side of the wall was dedicated to accessories and shoes. The shelves there were filled with designer bags, hats, scarves, shoes and other accessories.

There was some sort of island in the middle. It had numerous drawers set into its sides and it was made of a beautifully toned wood. Percy guessed that this was where Astra stored her underwear.

On top of the island was a glass case, filled with jewelry. The case was separated into several segments, with each segment holding a type of jewelry. There were necklaces, brooches, rings, earrings, bracelets, hair clips and all sorts of beautiful bejeweled ornaments. They were arranged neatly on a velvet pillow.

Somehow, Percy was drawn to something that was resting inside the case, right in the middle. He approached the island and lifted the top cover of the glass case. The feeling grew stronger and Percy found himself holding a pendant.

The pendant was a simple black-colored cord with a fang hanging at the end. The fang was long and it looked sharp. Carved on the fang was a curvy, circular, swirly design. Percy found the necklace familiar, the something inside him that had been roaring last night was back in full force. It was growling at the sight of the fang but soon turned into delightful purrs, and before he knew it, the pendant was around his neck.

"Percy?" Astra called out to him. She had just entered the closet when the fang had settled on Percy's chest. "Have you found your clothes?"

The boy snapped to face her and froze, like a deer in headlights. The shirt that was once rumpled on her bedroom floor was hanging on her body unbuttoned.

"A-Astra…" He stammered out. Percy felt like he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "I was just…"

"Oh!" Astra exclaimed, clapping her hands happily. "You like that, huh?" She stepped closer to him and examined the pendant. "It suits you…"

Percy was shuffling his feet nervously. "You're not mad?"

Astra looked at him questioningly. "Mad? Why would I be mad?"

"Because I touched your stuff without permission. I even opened the case full of your jewelry!"

She looked at him with wide eyes, as if realizing that he did have a point. She studied his face, looking for any sign of malicious intent but instead found herself flushing red at his adorably nervous expression.

"It's fine, Percy." She said, waving her hand dismissively. "I know you're not a thief. I trust you didn't take anything. If you were Ms. Bobofit though…." She trailed off. A moment passed in silence and then Percy broke out in giggles as Astra's words sunk in, all nervousness fading.

"Hahaha… If Nancy was here… you shouldn't… talk about your students… behind their back like that Astra!" He scolded her though it wasn't very convincing because he kept on giggling as he did so.

The corners of her mouth curved upwards in the smile. She was trying to reassure Percy that she wasn't angry at him and being able to see him so happy and to hear him laugh so genuinely had already made her day.

When Percy's laughter had subsided, he grabbed the cord of the pendant and tried to take it off but Astra stopped him.

"Keep it." She said, laying a hand on his raised arm.

"What?" Percy asked, bewildered. "Astra… I can't just…"

"It's for males." Astra interrupted him. "I don't wear it, and nobody in my family wears it. Its just been sitting there for years."

"But…" He tried to refuse still. "If its been around for years, isn't it important?"

Astra pressed her lips together into a straight line. "That pendant has been in my family for a very long time, yes."

"Then I can't keep it." Percy removed the pendant and presented it to Astra in his outstretched hand.

Astra took hold of the boy's hand and closed it around the necklace. "Keep it, Percy. Take it as a gift for saving me last night." She shot him a dazzling smile. "Besides, it looks good on you."

Percy looked away from that smile, afraid for his eyes, and promptly took on the daunting task of being a tomato. "F-fine! I know you won't budge when you get like this!"

Astra took the necklace from his hands and put it on him. The fang rested on his chest and she took a step back, admiring him. "See! I knew it looks good on you!" She exclaimed happily, still looking at the pendant. Abruptly, her smile grew wistful and it looked like she spaced out for a moment as she gazed at Percy wearing the fang necklace.

"Astra?" Percy waved a hand in front of her face, snapping her out of her funk.

"Oh… yeah…" She looked around the room. "Check those shelves over there! They should be your size."

Percy looked at Astra weirdly, like he was wondering whether he should bring up her spacing out. He shook his head, choosing to let it go, and closed the lid of the case filled with jewelry before walking to the shelf Astra was pointing at.

His jaw dropped open when he reached it.

"Wha!" He was expecting a single outfit, maybe a shirt and some jeans. He was wrong. He was miles off the mark. The clothes in the shelf was enough to be a small wardrobe.

There were dozens of shirts in all types like fine dress-shirts, casual t-shirts, button-ups, sweaters and jackets. Along with the shirts were a selection of pants ranging from jeans, slacks, dress pants, khakis, shorts and even a number of expensive, comfortable looking boxers. Different shoes like sneakers and leather boots were in a row in the bottom shelf.

"Astra…" He questioned the woman who was standing behind him who was looking at the boy with a smile. "Do you have… like… a younger brother I didn't know about?"

Confusion washed over Astra's face. "What are you talking about, Percy? Didn't I already tell you about my family yesterday." Her lips pouted in annoyance and she crossed her arms underneath her chest. "Weren't you listening!"

"No! No, I was listening… it's just…" Percy glanced at the shelf full of clothes in his size warily. "Why do you have so many clothes for boys?"

"Oh! Well…" She started to explain the existence of the shelfful of clothes. "I didn't buy them myself. I had Juliet get them for me, and I didn't know what she'd find so late at night so I just gave her some spending money and told her to buy loads of clothes for you!"

Percy nodded. He could see Astra doing something like that. Remembering their conversation last night as well as the size and décor in her room, he knew that she'd have the kind of money to do as she likes.

"Okay… so you had her buy clothes in bulk… Why didn't you just get her to buy one outfit instead of…" He glanced at the shelf full of neatly stacked clothes. "That."

"I wanted something that'd look good on you, okay!" Her face flushed red and she twiddled her fingers nervously. "You looked really handsome last night… and… I was so happy that you were wearing the clothes I got you so…" She looked at him for just a second before bowing her head cutely. "I want you to have these… and wear them every day…"

Percy gulped. Astra looked really cute when she was all shy and bashful. "Fine then. Thank you, Astra." He said, forcefully turning his gaze away lest his resolve crumble and he'd give into the temptation of being with this wonderful woman.

He examined the shelfful of clothes and started shuffling through them, looking for a suitable shirt and jeans combo for the day. He picked a thin, grey sweater and some dark jeans along with a pair of black and white Chuck Taylors.

"These are pretty nice." He saw that there were still sale tags on the jeans and pulled it off. Casually, he checked the price and his jaw went slack.

"No, no, no… Astra… these are too much." He said, returning the clothes to the shelves.

"What's the problem?" She said, taking Percy's chosen clothes back out of the shelves and into her arms.

"These are too expensive!"

"Percyyyyy!" Astra stretched out his name as she handed him the pile of clothes in her arms. "Take them… if you don't, then I'll just throw them away! I have no one to give these to, except for you!"

Percy was starting to feel bad about all this, but he just couldn't accept the clothes. Astra however, wasn't taking no for an answer.

"Astra!" Percy said sharply, making Astra pause in her attempts to change his mind and accept the wardrobe. "I'm grateful, really… but these clothes, the pendant… I don't want you to keep gifting me these things." He said, a bit of steel in his voice.

Astra stopped her convincing entirely. She was too focused on Percy. She loved it when he got mad or got a bit forceful and right now, the sound of his voice, all hard and stern made her already sticky underwear get a fresh new coat of juice.

"I don't want people to say that you're my sugar mama!" Percy said, raising his voice a bit. "I want us to be equals."

"Percy…" Astra whispered, her emotions once more on a roller coaster. "I want that too… but for now, please accept these… let me take care of you…" She said, her voice barely above a whisper, and Percy's expression softened. "I'm going to wait for you, right. You're gonna be a man that other girls will be desperate to be with, and to be honest, I can't blame them. But they're too late." Her voice firmed up at the end. "I've already got a head start. You can spoil me all you want in the future, but for now, let me spoil you."

"Astra…" He called out her name. She was his. She said it. She was his. "Okay…"

She wringed her hands nervously. "You'll take the clothes."

"Mhm."

"You'll let me buy you gifts. And cuddle with you. And… And…" She was running out of words, she was too caught up in the happiness she felt.

"Yeah, Astra. But don't spoil me too much, okay." Percy said, bailing her out of her stammering. "I want to be a man worthy of you. I want us to be equals before we…" He trailed off, turning red at the way his thoughts were heading. Clearing his throat, he continued. "And I'm gonna spoil you rotten. But I can't do that if you baby me too much."

"Okay!" Astra stepped towards him. "I won't baby you, but you can't blame me if I go to far…" She leaned forward and stole a quick peck on his lips. "You're just too handsome…"

"Astraaaaa!" He whined as his ears turned pink.

The woman giggled in response.

* * *

A bit later, Astra ushered Percy into the bathroom, saying that she was gonna do some work on her laptop while he took a shower. He was pushed into a door, but it wasn't a bathroom. It was a small room filled with counters, clothing racks, folded towels, and clothing hampers. There was another door opposite the one Percy just entered.

He assumed that this was a changing room. Locking the door, he laid down the pile of clothes he was carrying on a countertop. Then, he stripped out of his soiled boxers, threw them into a hamper, and stepped into the bathroom.

Percy stepped into the master bathroom of Astra's penthouse and he was shocked at the sheer size of it.

First thing he saw was the window. The bathroom had a huge, floor to ceiling window that revealed the majesty of New York City. The walls were made of smooth, dark marble with the floor being the same material, only a rougher variety. The countertops were also made of marble, though in a lighter shade.

There were two, white sinks on the countertop, with a large mirror over them. The faucets were made of a shiny, polished steel. There was a wall light over the mirror, illuminating the sinks and the mirror. Percy saw a lone toothbrush and some beauty products on the counter near the sinks and he wondered just how much work Astra put into how she looked.

Moving on a bit, Percy saw the toilet. It wasn't like the high-tech ones Percy saw sometimes on the internet, with all the buttons and switches. No, it was a simple, white toilet. Weirdly enough, Percy could see a bunch of books in arms reach.

Flipping through the books, he found that they were comics in black and white, and he couldn't understand a word. It wasn't in English but in… was that Japanese? Something Asian. The story was about some boy with a scar over his eye cooking food with the people tasting it somehow getting naked. Percy didn't know anything about this and he just found it weird.

He put the book back on the counter and continued his examination of the bathroom. He noticed a frosted glass door in one side of the room. He guessed that this was the shower stall. Percy walked over to the frosted glass when something else caught his attention. It was the bath.

The bath was huge and he wondered why he didn't notice it first. It had a great view of the windows and Percy imagined a grown-up version of himself with an arm draped over a still beautiful Astra soaking in it, looking over the beautiful lights of a New York evening. The thought made him blush.

Ignoring the huge bath, Percy headed to the shower stall, separated from the rest of the room by frosted glass. He found a handle on the glass at doorknob height and pulled the door open.

What greeted him was dark, marble walls, a large shower head above, six nozzles on the left and right wall – three on each side – and a number of knobs to turn the water on. There was also a selection of body-wash, bath soap, shampoo and conditioner on a long shelf in the far back wall of the stall. There was also a loofah on the shelf.

He fumbled with the knobs, his tongue sticking out slightly in his concentration.

"So… this knob is for the hot water… this is for the cold water…" The boy said to himself, trying to figure out how the shower worked. "This is for water pressure… and these?!" He screamed softly, pulling at his hair in frustration.

"Damn it!" Entering the shower, he started turning the knobs randomly. "Ow ow ow… god that's hot! HIeeee! Cold! Ooof… a bit too much pressure there…"

Eventually, Percy managed to get the temperature and the pressure just right and he felt the warm water flow down his body. The extra nozzles hit his body with a gentle pressure that was soothing his muscles, still a bit sore from the events of last night.

The water energized Percy, making him feel better. The aches and pains last night started to fade. Somehow, the boy thought that the water was clinging to him, like they didn't drip down to the floor immediately but actually tried to stick to his body.

He shook the thought away as he started browsing the selection of bath amenities. He spotted a bottle of orange scented bodywash and rose-petal shampoo and determinedly turned away from them. Percy loved Astra's scent, but he wouldn't want it clinging to him. The teasing he'd get from Grover alone would be unbearable.

Choosing a nice, solid bar of green Irish Spring soap, he started scrubbing with his hands, lathering up his body in bubbles and suds. He ignored the loofah, he didn't want to think about where that scrubber rubbed at Astra's body.

Proceeding to wash his hair, he picked a colorless, scentless shampoo and massaged his scalp. His eyes were closed as he washed his hair and the sound of falling water of the shower covered up the sound of the bathroom door opening.

He was humming a song when a voice startled him. It came from outside the shower stall.

"Hello!" It was a girl's voice. He kind of expected Astra to suddenly step inside and join him, but the voice wasn't familiar. "Miss Astra has asked me to tell you that breakfast is ready." The unknown girl said in a cheerful but respectful tone. "I'm Juliet Butler, her attendant."

"Ummmm… Okay?" He replied, hoping that whoever the girl was, this Juliet, that she'd go away so he could get out. Percy was starting to feel uncomfortable with only a pane of glass hiding his nude form.

"She has instructed me to lead you to the table. Today, breakfast is served on the balcony." The girl told him. It seemed that she planned to wait for him right outside the shower.

"Um… can you please… wait outside." Percy stammered out, embarrassed out of his mind. "I'm kinda naked here."

"Oh! Oh of course." The girl sounded a bit embarrassed herself, like she had just realized how weird it was to stand around outside a shower a boy was using. "I'll be waiting outside the changing room. And please, you do not have to rush."

"No… I'll be out in a minute." Percy said as he started washing off all the suds and soap off his hair and body.

"Very well. I will see you soon."

Percy heard the sound of footsteps slowly getting farther away. Then the sound of a door opening and closing. Soon, all that was left was the cascading of water on the marble floor.

"Hah…" The boy sighed. "That was weird. I can see how she's Astra's attendant."

The boy finished up his shower. He rinsed off the last of the suds, enjoyed the feel of the water rolling down his body for a moment, and turned off the water. He stepped out of the stall, still naked and dripping wet, and headed for the changing room.

He opened the door and his eyes widened. Immediately, his hands came down to cover his crotch.

The girl, Juliet she introduced herself, had the clothes he put on the counter in her arms and was hanging them on the clothing racks, one by one.

Percy was just grateful that the girl didn't touch his used boxers and had her back to him. He creeped inside the room, careful not to make any noise, grabbed a towel from the closest shelf and hurriedly wrapped it around his waist.

Once his privates had been adequately covered by the towel, he cleared his throat to get the girl's attention. "Um… miss? I thought you were going to wait outside?"

"Eeep!" Juliet jumped a little in surprise. "Sir! How did… when did…" She was stumped. How come she didn't notice him. She was a Butler, trained by her brother and Madame Ko herself! She was known as the Jade Princess of the ring! This boy shouldn't be able to sneak up on her.

"Miss… outside. Please." Percy said as he took in the girl who looked to be in her late teens or early twenties. Her figure was more of an athletic build rather than Astra's voluptuous curves. She had long blonde hair, braided over her shoulder and held up by a jade green pin. Her eyes were the same shade of green as her hairpiece. She was wearing a black vest over a white long-sleeved shirt and a pair of short, black shorts. Covering her legs were black tights and she had on stiletto heels. A black bowtie was on her neck.

"Oh! Right!" The girl's eyes wandered downward from his eyes to his toned torso and she blushed.

'He's twelve, Juliet. Don't ogle the twelve-year-old.' She thought to herself, trying to tear her eyes away. She couldn't.

"I'll just be outside." Juliet said but stayed rooted to her spot.

Percy ran his hand through his still wet hair. "Yeah, I'll be out as soon as I get changed." He looked at the girl who was still standing by the clothing racks, looking at him weirdly and raised an eyebrow. "Umm… Miss?" No response. "Juliet?"

At the sound of her name being called, Juliet snapped out of her daze, pulling her gaze upwards back into his face. "Sorry. It's just… I haven't seen a body like that on a twelve-year old before. My last young master was all skin and bones like a vampire."

Percy gave the girl a confused look. "What are you talking about? I'm a normal twelve-year old."

The girl's eyes wandered downwards. "Are you sure?" She said as she looked away and started walking out the door.

The boy watched the girl leave, wondering what she was on about. Shrugging his shoulders, he took another towel from a nearby shelf and started wiping himself down. That was when he noticed the state of his body.

His stomach was starting to show signs of abs and his chest had gotten thicker somehow. His shoulders were a bit broader and there was definition on his biceps. He even felt a bit taller somehow, maybe an inch or so.

Percy's body had developed and got toned in a night. He wasn't bulging with muscles but there was definition, like the muscles had been achieved through long bouts of running and swimming as opposed to lifting weights.

"Whoa!" He poked his midriff and felt the firm muscle underneath. "What happened? Is this how puberty works?"

He ran his eyes down his body once more, admiring it for another moment before he smirked at his reflection in the nearby mirror. 'Not like a kid anymore, huh.' Quickly patting his wet body dry with the towel, he dressed and walked out the changing room.

Juliet was dutifully waiting for him outside. "Shall we go to breakfast, sir?"

The boy nodded. "Lead the way, Juliet. Can I call you Juliet?"

"Yes, sir. Please follow me." She started walking off, glancing at Percy before doing so. "I'll give you a tour on the way."

"Okay then. And please, call me Percy."

* * *

"This place is on one of the most luxurious apartment towers in New York." Juliet started to explain about the penthouse as he was being led to breakfast. "It has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, one upstairs and one downstairs, a living room, a kitchen, a dining room, a library/study, and a balcony."

They stopped just outside the bedrooms. It was an open space and aside from the doors leading into the various rooms, pieces of art like paintings and sculptures filled the space.

"You've seen the master bedroom and bathroom." Juliet said gesturing to the door they had just come out from. "But these are the other rooms upstairs. This is my room, that's a guest room, and that's the upstairs bathroom." She gestured to each of the rooms in turn.

Astra's door was black and had a glimmering star on it, he saw. For some reason, Juliet had a luchador mask on hers.

"And this here," She opened her arms wide. "This is Miss Astra's private collection."

Percy looked around the various art pieces on display.

"Does Astra have some sort of weapon fetish?" The pair of swords he saw on one of his office visits was hanging on the wall, along with other weapons like spears, lances, flails, morning stars and all sorts of swords like great swords and longswords.

Juliet chuckled. "No, she just likes collecting things."

"I can see that." The boy saw a full plate of knight armor that stood in one corner. It was polished and well-maintained, like it could be worn in a moment's notice. Right next to it was a human-sized wax figure of a dark-haired, brown-eyed lady wearing a fine dress.

Interspaced on the walls were all numerous framed paintings and pictures. One in particular caught Percy's attention. It was a painting of sunflowers. It was a wonderful piece, like something that should be in a museum. Percy knew that there was one artist who was known for sunflowers, he just couldn't remember who.

There was some writing on the painting. 'Sunflowers follow the sun, but these flowers are for the stars. To Astra, from Vincent.'

The girl urged them forward after letting him browse for a few minutes. "There are more pieces in the foyer." Juliet told him as they were walking down the steps. "Miss Astra has such a large collection. Every one of her residences has at least one gallery."

"How many residences does she have?" The boy asked the older girl who turned to him, finger to her lips in thought.

"She has a beach house in LA, a manor just outside London, one in France, Rio, Tokyo…" Percy's eyes widened as Juliet went on. And on. And on.

"Does she have a place in every country or something?" He asked incredulously. It seemed she wasn't exaggerating when she said she was as rich as Bruce Wayne, Tony Stark and Scrooge McDuck put together.

"Not really. Just in some places she likes." Juliet said as they reached the first floor of the penthouse.

The living room was huge. It took up most of the space on the floor. Wide open windows let in natural light, but Percy could imagine it being bright even in nighttime. Multiple light fixtures were on the walls and there was a nicely sized chandelier on the ceiling.

There was a large couch, a loveseat and several armchairs arranged in front of a large, widescreen TV that was hung on the wall, hooked up to tall speakers that stood on either side of it, like knights guarding their king.

Below the mounted Television was a white TV cabinet where numerous game consoles laid out. Percy saw an XBOX One, a PS4, a Nintendo and an Atari.

The coffee table in the middle of the sitting area was square-shaped, with two levels. The upper level was bare save for a large frog stuffed toy. The lower level was filled with junk.

Near the sitting area was a small fireplace. The fire was out for today but Percy could picture the flames crackling merrily.

A grand piano was in the room with a violin laid down on the seat. A drum set was next to it, along with guitars and a bass. There was also a jukebox in the room.

"Miss Astra really likes her video games. And music." Juliet said as she led Percy through the archway leading into the dining room. "She plays, you know."

Percy looked at the girl he was following. "Plays what?"

"Everything." Juliet replied. "Piano, guitar, bass, drums, violin, harp, saxophone. I think she can even play a lute. Sings too."

"Really? Wow. Astra really is a wonderful woman, isn't she?" A half-smile grew on his face. "I really need to step up if I want to be good enough for her." He mumbled softly to himself.

"She really is. That's the library/study." Juliet pointed out a door near the piano just before they entered the dining room. "This is the dining room. That's the kitchen there." She pointed at a closed door. "And this is the balcony!" She walked to the door next to the large windows and led Percy through it.

He stepped through the doorway and a light breeze hit his face.

"Wow!"

A wonderful view of a morning in New York greeted him from the spacious balcony.

A few minutes later, Percy found himself sitting on an intimate, circular table set for two. Astra was sitting opposite him, looking at he email on her laptop. Juliet had gone back inside the penthouse, presumably to bring them breakfast.

"Hey… check this out…" Astra turned her laptop so that it faced Percy. "Mr. Brunner just emailed me a draft for some consent forms."

"Consent forms? For what?" He asked as he tried to read what was on display. It was difficult though, his dyslexia acting up.

"The sword tournament dummy!" Astra said, a bright smile on her face taking off the sting of the slight. "We're having a sword tournament, remember? You have to participate because you were gone for half the field trip."

"Hey!" Percy defended. "It wasn't my fault. Someone…" He looked at Astra pointedly. "Dragged me around for most of the afternoon."

"Ehehehe." Astra looked at him rubbing the back of her head sheepishly and giving him an innocent look. "Well… how about I go and print one out. We'll swing by your mom's later and have it signed. That way, there won't be any more problems and you can participate without worries!"

"Really?" Percy asked, eyes wide. "You want to go meet my mom… today?" He was getting a bit nervous and he was a bit irritated at himself that he was. It wasn't like this was the first time he was introducing a girl to his mom. No… it totally wasn't.

Besides, it was just Astra. Yeah… it was just his principal.

He looked at the woman in question. She hadn't showered nor dressed yet and was still in just her white shirt and panties that she slept in. The top button of her shirt was unbuttoned and peeking out was a light purple bruise.

"Yeah… I don't think it's a good idea." Percy told her causing the grown woman to pout childishly.

"Whyyyyy?" She whined. "We're going on business Percy. Business!" Her hands slammed on the table at the last word, jostling the laptop and the table setting to emphasize her point. "It's not like you're introducing me as your girlfriend…" She muttered softly as she sat back with a pout, her arms crossed but it was loud enough that Percy just barely heard her.

"Ughh. Fine… we'll go meet my mom." He really couldn't resist this woman. Anything to make her happy, he'd want to do.

"Okay!" Her pout morphed into a smile, her white teeth glinting in the morning sun. "We'll stop by right after breakfast at your apartment!"

"No!" Percy shouted out of the blue, standing up from his seat. He put his fist to his mouth and cleared his throat as he sat back down, red-faced. "I mean… let's pick her up for lunch… around 11:30?" He didn't want Astra to meet Gabe. The thought of that pig looking perversely at his Astra made his skin crawl.

Astra looked at him, silently questioning his earlier outburst before reverting back into an Astra-like smile. "Ohhhh! That's a good idea! Your mom works in a sweets shop, right? We can go pick up some candy to replace the pastries those meanies ruined last night."

"Yeah… we can do that…" Percy agreed. At least she didn't insist on going to the apartment like he half-expected her to. "Then you can take me back to Yancy…"

"Awww…" Astra complained, hearing Percy's words. "Do you have to? It's the weekend… spend the night here again…"

Percy sighed. "Astra… I already spent the night here… I need to get back to the dorm and I can only imagine how unbearable Grover will be if I don't get back today." He was a bit worried about how Grover would take it, him spending the night with Astra. Grover would flip if he found out what he did this morning to her.

Astra pouted like a child who didn't get her way but eventually gave in. Percy made her promise him that they'd go back to Yancy, right after lunch.

Plans made, the two turned to more lighthearted conversation. Astra was explaining how the penthouse actually took up only half of the top two floors when Violet came back with two portable stoves. They were on a large cart with what looked to be like eggs, sugar, cream and milk in bowls.

"What are we having Juliet?" Astra asked as she saw her attendant approach. Her laptop had disappeared without him noticing. He guessed Astra handed it to Violet.

"I'm gonna put on a live cooking show! We're having mini souffle omelette!" The girl started to crack and separate the eggs as she spoke. "We have a guest to impress, after all." Juliet winked at Percy, making him look away.

Astra cheered. "Whaaaa! Just like Soma-kun!" She clapped her hands excitedly, which prompted Juliet to nod and confirm.

"Soma?" Percy asked, confused as to what the heck was going on.

"He's a wonderful cook! The best of the best!" Astra said to him excitedly as Juliet heat up two pans, one on each stove. "He goes to this really intense school, and they have these cook-offs and he makes all this amazing food…" Percy listened as Astra went on and on about how excited she was that she'd be having one of Soma's recipes.

To be honest, Percy was starting to get a little jealous. He wanted to see this Soma so he could tell him that Astra was his. 'MINE!' The thing inside him screamed, though it was somehow more subdued than before.

"Miss…" Juliet started to say as she began putting the eggs on the piping hot pan and covering them. "I think you should let Percy know what you're talking about…" She said, noticing the look in Percy's eyes. The girl was honestly surprised to see just how fiery the boy could get. But then again, this wasn't the first time he surprised her today.

Astra stopped her gushing mid-sentence as she heard Juliet speak. She looked away from Juliet's station and looked to Percy and promptly gulped down the saliva that suddenly built up. He was looking at her with such an intense, possessive look that it made her tingle inside.

"Ah… yeah…" She stammered, unable to look away from his currently stormy green eyes. "Soma's a manga character…"

The intensity in Percy's eyes died instantly at hearing her words. "So… Soma is…"

"A fictional cook." Juliet finished as she flipped the eggs onto two plates nigh simultaneously. She finished plating the dish, adding in some kind of red sauce and parsley. "Breakfast. Mini Souffle Omelettes with a special tomato sauce."

The two members of the audience clapped and cheered at her impressive display of skill. Juliet grinned at the two of them, happy that her efforts were appreciated.

She placed the two plates in front of Astra and Percy. "Enjoy. And don't be afraid to ask for more." She gestured to her station on wheels and the still plentiful amount of ingredients.

Astra quickly took her spoon and pushed down on the soft, fluffy omelette. "Very nice, Juliet. It looks exactly the same!" She excitedly ate a spoonful of egg and her eyes lit up. "Waaaai! So fluffy!"

Percy was watching Astra take her first bite and his mouth curved into a smile. Then he started snickering to himself. He was jealous of a manga character!

Astra noticed Percy softly laughing and frowned. With Juliet watching, she leaned forward and stuffed her spoon right into Percy's open mouth. "Eat, Percy! These are souffles! They'll collapse if you don't eat them while their warm."

"Oh my!" Juliet softly whispered to herself as she watched her current mistress spoon-feed the young man. "How daring of you Miss…" She chuckled to herself as she watched Percy's eyes go wide, Astra's spoon still in his mouth.

"Dish ish awshom" Juliet heard Percy talk around the spoon while Astra was smiling at him. Her mistress took the spoon back and resumed eating herself with Percy happily digging into his own plates.

Juliet felt like the two finished their food in the blink of an eye as she found herself cooking more and more omelettes. Right after she finished a batch, the souffle was inhaled into the two's extra-dimensional gullet, and she had to make another.

"Ahhh… that really hit the spot…" Percy said, patting his full belly. He didn't know how many he ate, he stopped counting at the sixth plate, but the food was really good so you couldn't really blame him. "Thanks for the food Juliet! It was really delicious!"

"No… problem…" The girl replied, out of breath from the exertion. Her hair was ruffled as some strands escaped from her braid and her once-pristine uniform was wrinkled and damp with sweat. "Glad… you like it…"

"It was wonderful Juliet." Astra complimented. There were four plates in front of her, even with Juliet constantly clearing the table. "I'm really jealous of Arty Jr. who grew up eating your food."

"It… wasn't much…" Juliet lied, but she knew that it was something her mistress wanted to hear. Besides, it was just a catchphrase.

She was right as Astra giggled and gave her a thumbs up.

"Who's Arty?" Percy asked the two. He had been rubbing his stomach when he heard the unfamiliar name and decided to ask.

"Arty Jr." Astra corrected him as she started to explain with Juliet giving her own input. "He manages most of my family's fortune. He's also Juliet's last master."

"Miss is correct. The Butlers have served the Fowls for many generations. My brother still works for the young master and until recently, so did I, but…" Juliet said but was interrupted by Astra.

"I needed some help of my own." Astra piped up. "And I asked Arty for a recommendation and he said that Juliet here…" She grasped Juliet's hand. "Wanted to go to America. So, I accepted, even though I wouldn't get her full time…"

"Why aren't you getting her full time?" Percy asked as he glanced between the two blondes.

"I go on tour with a wrestling group in the summer." Juliet said flexing her bicep. "They call me the Jade Princess!" She tapped her jade-colored hair ornament.

"Yeah… so I only get her during the school year…" Astra said smiling at Juliet's antics. "But that's fine since my workload isn't that much during vacation." She turned to Juliet. "How is your brother, by the way. I heard he got shot defending Arty from an assassin?"

Juliet's mood turned somber as she nodded. "He's recovering. One of our friends managed to save him."

Percy's eyes widened. Assassins? He wanted to ask more but noticed Juliet's mood and tried changing the subject.

"Wow… so this guy manages your money, Astra?" Percy said, genuinely impressed. If Astra had as much money as she said she had, and he believed her, then this Arty must be a genius at finance.

"Yeah… and get this, he's only thirteen!" Astra said making Percy's jaw drop.

As Astra started laughing at Percy's expression, a maelstrom of thoughts swirled in Percy's mind. 'This guy is just thirteen! I really need to shape up. I need to improve. Need to get better. Need to…'

Juliet started clearing the table while Percy and Astra continued their conversation. The subject had changed again and they were somehow talking about cooking and Soma again. When the final plate was cleared, Astra excused herself.

"It's already nine. I'm gonna go and get ready." She said as she stood up and re-entered the penthouse, whispering something to Juliet as she passed. The Butler girl nodded in understanding and went on to carry out her instructions.

Juliet approached Percy who was still sitting at the table, watching Astra walk away. He was mesmerized with her swinging hips and bare legs. She cleared her throat, getting the youth's attention.

"Miss Astra has told me to assist you in any way I can while she prepares for the day. The whole apartment is open to you." She said, thinking that Percy would want to play games on the various consoles like a normal boy would. "We can play on the PS4… we recently got the latest Assassin's Creed…" She suggested.

Percy thought to himself. He had maybe thirty minutes until… wait… Astra's a woman so he had maybe an hour. Honestly, he'd like to play on that massive TV but then he thought about Arty Jr. and how he's already managing a fortune at thirteen…

"Hey Juliet…" He began, looking nervously at the older girl. "Do you know how to play the guitar?"

* * *

When Astra had come downstairs wearing her outfit for the day; a white blouse underneath a dark blue cardigan, blue skinny jeans and some strappy sandals; and she was surprised with the sight that greeted her.

Percy and Juliet were sitting on the floor facing each other. An acoustic guitar was in Percy's hands while her Slash autographed Les Paul was being used by Juliet. The girl was teaching the boy something from a tab sheet.

"Shouldn't you teach him how to read that?" Astra called out, startling the two. She was happy that Percy was interested in guitar. Maybe she could teach him herself…

"He learned how to read them in the first five minutes…" Juliet replied after they settled once more. "And he learned all the open chords in the next fifteen…"

"Really?" Astra glowed with pride. "That's amazing Percy!"

The boy rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, giving Astra a sly grin. "Thanks… it's not much but…" He started playing a few chords and Astra, knowing how to play, soon discovered that he was playing Hotel California.

The sound was good, the high end acoustic guitar made sure of that, but from the skill the boy was showing, you would think that he'd had weeks of practice instead of just a measly forty minutes.

Then the solo began and Percy began plucking on the strings. He was doing well until he missed a note when his finger slipped.

"Ooops…" Percy said as he stopped, half-smiling at the two blondes. "Guess I need to practice more.

"No Percy! That was wonderful. You have talent!" Astra said as she walked towards the two and sitting down next to Juliet. "Doesn't he?" She asked the girl when she settled.

"Yeah!" Juliet agreed. The boy had talent. Learning how to play under an hour was nothing to scoff at. "Show her the other thing Percy."

"Other thing?" Astra wondered as Percy once more started playing.

This time, the song was more modern. The first few notes filled the spacious room and Astra realized what Percy was playing. The strings were plucked in a familiar tune and then he started singing.

Astra got lost in the sounds Percy was producing.

 _Hey there, Delilah_

 _What's it like in New York city?_

 _I'm a thousand miles away_

 _But, girl, tonight you look so pretty_

 _Yes, you do_

Percy was looking right at Astra as he sang, his voice soft and melodious. This time, he didn't miss a single chord as he played for her. His voice hit every note with this wonderful tone that made Astra feel like she was melting.

When Percy finished the song, Astra was left breathless. She just wanted to carry him up to her room and have her way with him. Her darkened eyes locked onto his own and what she saw in them made her shiver.

A clapping sound beside her snapped Astra out of her fantasies.

"That was wonderful! Amazing!" Juliet was cheering for Percy. "I can totally see you selling out arenas in a few years!"

Astra took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "Yeah…" She spoke in a husky voice before clearing her throat and spoke again in a more normal voice. "That was great Percy. It was beautiful."

He shot her a roguish grin and Astra flushed. "Thanks guys… I gotta say, playing guitar is really fun… singing's not too bad either…"

Juliet nodded sagely with her arms crossed. "Um! Um! You have a very nice voice. It complements the acoustics very well."

"I think he'd do well in more… heavier genres as well…" Astra added as she started fanning her burning face with her hands. "Maybe a more rock sound…"

"You guys really think so?" Percy asked as he basked in the praise the two were showering him. He looked at the guitar. "Guess I'll pick this up in earnest then."

"Totally! You totally should!" Juliet enthusiastically agreed. Guess he already had a fan.

Percy glanced at Astra and seeing her flushed red and breathless made him worried. "Astra? Are you feeling okay?"

"Wha? Oh… yes… I'm fine…" She confirmed, waving off his worries. "I gotta go to the bathroom for a sec…" She stood up from the floor and the other two followed suit.

"Anything I can get you, ma'am?" Juliet asked as she dusted off her uniform. She had gone back to professional mode.

"Yes actually." Astra said, checking her wristwatch. "Can you go get the Panamera from the garage. Have it ready, it's about time for us to leave. Oh, and take the clothes you bought last night and put it in the trunk."

Juliet saluted like a cadet. "Yes, ma'am!" The girl carefully set the Les Paul on its stand before leaving to her task.

"You can stay here Percy. Keep practicing and I'll be back soon." Astra said to him as Juliet left them. She was trying her best not to pounce on him.

"'kay." He replied as he sat on the couch and started browsing the tab sheets they had been using. Percy glanced at Astra as she went back upstairs to the master bathroom, worried still about her health. She looked really pretty in her outfit and he loved the way her jeans hugged her like a second skin but she seemed a bit under the weather with her being flushed and out of breath.

As promised, Astra returned a few minutes later. She was back to normal, making Percy sigh softly in relief.

"Is Juliet back yet?" She asked as she sat down next to him on the couch. He still had the acoustic guitar in his hands.

"She just left carrying a suitcase." Percy replied as he got stuck on a particularly difficult part in Sweet Child o' Mine. He tried once again this time a bit slower and he got it perfectly, making him smile at his achievement.

Astra watched him play, looking at the soft smile that sprouted on his face. "Keep the guitar." She said making Percy lose track of the plucking. He frowned, not at his mistake, but at her words.

"No." He said firmly.

"C'mon Percy. Keep it for practice." Astra insisted.

"No." Percy repeated.

"I thought you said that you'd accept gifts?" Astra said remembering his words earlier in the morning. Words that made her so happy.

"I will, but not this." Percy said, resolution oozing from his voice. "I'm grateful for the clothes, and the pendant, and anything else. But I want to do this on my own."

"But how will you pra…" She was cut off by Percy.

"I'll buy my own guitar. It'll only take a few months of my allowance to buy a second-hand one, and I can do some odd jobs for the guys for a bit of extra cash…" He said firmly making Astra frown. "I don't want your help with this, Astra."

"But Percy…" She tried to change his mind. Make him accept her help. She was willing to do anything for him.

"Astra!" His voice was sharp. "This is how I'm doing it. I want to do it this way."

She looked into his eyes, searching for any sign of weakness that she could use to sway him. There was none. His eyes were full of determination.

"Okay." She said, admitting defeat. She wanted to help but she could see that she had no way to change his mind. Sometimes, Percy could be as stubborn as she was. "If you're sure."

Percy nodded at her words. He wanted… no… needed to do this. Some form of independence from Astra so that he won't get too comfortable. He didn't want to rely on her money.

"But on one condition!" Astra said, to which Percy motioned for her to go on. "When you get your guitar, play for me, once a week…"

Percy smiled. That he could do.

* * *

When Astra received a text message on her phone saying that the car was parked just outside the building, the two exited the penthouse but not before making sure they had a copy of a consent form. Percy was stringed along as Astra clung to his arm as they walked.

"This way Percy!" Astra was leading pulling him towards a set of elevator doors. "Here, here!"

They reached the elevator and Percy pressed the call button. As they waited for the elevator to arrive, Percy was glancing around the corridor they were in. It was a narrow corridor with minimal décor. It was still classy to a point but compared to the places Percy had been in the past few hours, it was nothing special.

"Do you have neighbors?" He asked, looking at the only other door aside from the one leading to Astra's and the elevator doors.

"That one's vacant." Astra replied. "My penthouse takes up only half of the top two floors. That one takes up the other half." She explained pointing to the said door. "Some people had been showing interest in buying it but I've been blocking them."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want some strangers living next door." Astra replied with puffed up cheeks. "They could be weirdos."

"Says the lady clinging to a twelve-year old." Percy was teasing but there was a bitter undertone in his voice. Astra glared at him but he could see that there wasn't any hostility in them.

"Mou…Percyyyyy…" She whined, smacking him softly on the shoulder, making the boy laugh heartily.

A ding signaled the arrival of the elevator. The two stopped their back and forth teasing and entered the elevator. It took them more than a few minutes to reach the building lobby, a testament of just how high up Astra's penthouse was.

When they finally touched down, Percy and Astra were greeted by Juliet standing just outside the elevator doors.

"The car is just out front." She said. "I had Phil watch it."

"Thank you, Juliet." Astra told the girl. "I'll be back this evening. You can do what you want until then."

"Yes ma'am. I'll be in the fitness room then." Juliet said entering the elevator as the two exited. Percy guessed that she was going to change into exercise clothes. "Have a good day." She said as a form of farewell as the elevator doors closed.

"Let's go Percy. This way." Astra lead him to the lobby. It was very grand with numerous sitting areas and decorated with all sorts of potted plants in exquisite vases. Percy spotted numerous hallways and asked what they lead to.

"This one leads to the fitness room." Astra said pointing to one hallway. "It's a good place, almost like a full gym. There's also an indoor pool." She pointed to another hallway. "It's about the size of the pool in Yance, maybe a bit bigger."

She kept walking as they spoke and they soon reached the main doors.

"Good morning ma'am." A doorman greeted them as he opened the door.

"Morning Phil." Percy mumbled his own greeting. "How's Diane?"

"She's doing well ma'am." Phil replied, happy to talk about this Diane. "She just got released from the hospital. Stevie's being a handful. The little tyke's really hyper."

"Glad to hear it." Astra looked around the street for her car. "Did he like the dragon I got him?!"

The man chuckled. "Can't sleep without it."

Astra laughed in reply. "Tell them I said hi, 'kay?"

"Will do, ma'am?" Phil then noticed Percy to whom Astra was still attached to. "And who're you, young man?"

"My name's Percy." Percy held out his hand for a shake. "Nice to meet you sir."

"Please. Call me Phil." The man said, firmly taking his hand for a hearty shake. He turned to Astra. "Your car is over there, ma'am."

"Thank you, Phil. C'mon Percy." Astra dragged him in the direction Phil pointed at.

"Bye Phil!" Percy called out.

"Goodbye Percy." He heard Phil call back just as he was pulled out of ear shot.

In no time at all, Astra and Percy were back on the streets of New York, just as they did last night. This time, however, they weren't in the Bugatti. Astra was driving a shiny black Porsche Panamera.

Unlike the Bugatti, this one was a four-seater car. Guess she wanted to be a bit more low-profile, though the Porsche was still very impressive.

Astra was, of course, in the driving seat with Percy sitting shotgun.

"Did you call your mom?" Astra asked as they stopped at a red light.

"I don't have a phone, remember." Percy replied as he admired the high-tech systems the Porsche had. He really didn't have the opportunity to properly appreciate the Bugatti's interior since almost all his attention was directed at the goddess that was seated beside him.

"You could've called on the landline." Astra reminded him. She had one in the living room and in her study.

"I didn't see one." Percy answered. He was tempted to fiddle with the radio, just to see how it worked. "Let's just swing by and ask invite her personally."

"Right now?" Astra asked as she looked at the time displayed on the dash. "It's only 10 o'clock."

"She works near Central Park. We can stroll around while we wait for her break." Percy replied making Astra squeal in happiness.

"Really! Okay then." She fiddled with the GPS, taking the opportunity the red light made to set the destination. "What store does she work in?"

"Sweet on America." Percy answered while watching her manipulate the Navigation Systems. It looked so easy but he guessed that it was because of the car.

"We're all set." Astra announced as a map showed up on screen with a highlighted route for them to take. "Wow… you're right, it's only a block away from Central Park."

"Told ya." Percy said as he looked at the pedestrians walking along the sidewalk. "We can walk around the park for a bit… buy some pretzels…"

"I want to go on the lake." The car started moving as the light finally turned green. They were making good time, the infamous New York traffic not really affecting them that much. "Let's rent a boat!"

"Sounds fun." Percy said with a smile directed towards his companion. Her excitement was really infectious and he found himself really looking forward to being on the water.

Time seemed to fly by as the two kept on talking and joking with each other. They'd also tried to decide on where to eat lunch. Keyword: tried. Percy wanted pizza while Astra felt like having some Chinese. They were getting close to their destination so they agreed that Percy's mom could pick.

It wasn't long before they were walking through the red and blue doors of Sweet on America. The tinkling of bells just above the door greeted their arrival.

"Good morning! Welcome to Sweet…" The woman who was welcoming them in trailed off as her eyes landed on Percy. "Percy! What are you doing here?" She asked as she walked forward and enveloped the boy in a warm hug.

Percy felt like he'd come home. "Hey, mom."

"Oh… my little boy…" Sally Jackson tightened her grip on her son and felt the newly developed toned muscle underneath his thin, grey sweater. "Who's… not so little anymore, huh?" She let go and gripped him by the shoulders, examining him with a raised eyebrow. "You've grown since I last saw you. You're a young man now." She said as she wrapped him once more in a motherly embrace.

"And you're still beautiful, mom." Percy complimented truthfully. Her dark brown hair was shiny and her eyes, glistening with joy at seeing her son, was a nice blue color that sparkled and changed in the light. She also smelled like chocolate, licorice and everything else one would find in a candy shop.

She was almost forty now, but she didn't look a day above thirty.

"That's sweet of you to say…" Sally said, finally letting go of her son. "Now what are you doing here?" She was really happy that he'd surprised her with this visit but she was a bit worried too. Was he in trouble somehow?

Astra took her question as her cue and cleared her throat, drawing Sally's attention.

"Hello ma'am." She spoke in an impressively professional tone of voice. Astra had gone from the girly, childish Astra to the principal of a school for rich misfits Miss Black. "My name is Astra Black and I'm the principal of Yancy Academy. Please, call me Astra."

Sally looked at the blonde bombshell his son came with. She glanced between the two, noticing the distance kept between them and the way their bodies were turned slightly to the other. Her motherly instincts were telling her that there was something up.

"Hello Astra. Please, call me Sally." She said politely. "Is something wrong? Percy isn't in trouble, is he? I can assure you, he's a very good boy…"

"Of course not, ma'am. And I know how he is." Astra assured the woman that there was no trouble whatsoever. "Actually, we just stopped by to invite you to lunch. We can talk further then."

"Yeah, mom. There's just something…" Percy trailed off. "But we can talk about it later. When's your break?"

Sally looked at her son with a questioning look, wondering what was going on but gave them the time of her break nonetheless.

"Do you want to get Chinese? Or Pizza?" Percy asked her, pouting when his mom answered the former. Astra laughed at his disappointed look earning her a glare from the boy.

"Okay then… we'll come by again later…" Miss Black said after regaining her composure. She started looking around the store. "Hey, Percy..."

"Go ahead. I'll keep my mom company." Percy said, already knowing what Astra wanted. She was just itching to go and eat some sweets so the sooner they bought some the better.

Sally watched as the prim and professional Miss Black turned into a kid in a candy store as she skipped around, quickly filling a basket with confectionary. She looked on incredulously as she took five bags of Hershey's kisses and dumped them into an already full basket while Percy just laughed at both her expression and at Astra's antics.

The sugar addict walked back to the mother-son duo and plopped her haul at Percy's feet.

"Do you want me to ring this up?" Sally asked the woman who in turn looked to her son.

"Later, mom. I think she's gonna take a while." Percy said which made Astra smile brightly. She pat Percy's head affectionately before skipping back to the rack of baskets and started filling it up once more.

"What's going on?" Sally asked her son while watching his school principal with wide eyes. She was on her third basketful now. "I know you said that you weren't in trouble, but…"

"I'm not, mom." Percy explained a bit of the situation. "I have to do something to make up the field trip 'cause I missed half but it's fine…" He said, squeezing his mom's hand reassuringly and shooting her a confident smile. "We can talk about it in more detail later."

"Fine then. You can also catch me up on what you've been up to." Sally stroked Percy's cheek. "You're growing up so fast… pretty soon, you'll be off to high school and bringing home girls…"

"M-mom!" Percy sputtered, his face as red as a tomato, making Sally laugh. She noticed Percy glance at Astra, making her narrow her eyes in suspicion. Her son always had been special, especially considering who his father was, but he's just twelve! And with his school principal?!

The boy in question had noticed Astra with an armful of marshmallows which made him think of his dream and the events of this morning. Involuntarily licking his lips, he remembered where he was and snapped his head to the side to look away, which his mom saw making her even more suspicious.

"She's really pretty, isn't she?" Sally asked, fishing for some more information. She wanted to get to the bottom of this. "And she looks so young too…"

"C'mon mom… she's my principal. Don't put those kinds of thoughts in my head." Percy said trying for nonchalance. He really didn't want his mom to start asking questions concerning his relationship with the older Astra.

Sally wasn't being fooled though. She was about to ask another question when Astra waved them over and she let it go. For now.

"Help me with these Percy." Sally told her son who nodded as he began carrying the baskets full of sweets to the counter where Astra was. There were already two baskets with her just waiting to be devoured.

Percy tried lifting a basket and found that it wasn't too heavy. He managed to carry all five of the baskets at once by hanging the handles off his arms, surprising his mother who was making her way to help him.

"I got it, mom. Just start on the cash register."

Looking dubiously at her son and his display of strength – she tried lifting a basket and she barely lifted one (they were big, okay!) – she headed behind the counter and began ringing up the purchase on the register.

Astra was giddily bouncing in place, anticipating all the sweets that she'd eat. They were waiting for the transaction to finish processing so she could pay. Then she'd be drowning in the sweetness of candy!

It took a while for everything to be processed simply because of the sheer amount being purchased. Percy and Astra ended up with nine large plastic bags almost overflowing with candy.

"Do you need help with that?" Sally offered her assistance. Astra gratefully accepted and Sally carried two bags. That left Astra carrying three and Percy with four bags to carry. "Did you park nearby?"

"It's just outside mom." Percy answered as he opened the door with his foot. Sally followed the pair as they crossed the road and whistled appreciatively at the car they stopped at. She wasn't one of those car maniacs but she had eyes. It was fairly obvious that the vehicle was both impressive and expensive.

"Thanks Sally. We got it from here." Astra said as she opened the trunk. Percy started to load all the bags next to the suitcase filled with the clothes Astra bought for him. "We'll see you later."

Sally handed what she was carrying to Percy. "It was nice meeting you Astra." She turned to her son and hugged him goodbye. "Love you Percy."

"Love you too mom!" Percy whispered, a bit embarrassed since Astra was right there. A smile was on her face though as she witnessed the warm, familial scene.

The mother and son separated from their embrace and said their goodbyes, at least for a little bit. As Sally re-entered the store, Percy and Astra started walking towards Central Park. Since it was so close, they opted to go on foot instead of having to find another place to park the car.

They were walking side-by-side but unlike last night, there was no hand holding or arm locking. Percy was still a bit nervous since his mom looked like she was getting pretty interested in Astra and Percy's opinion on her.

The lack of contact, however, had no detrimental effects on the two. They were still talking, joking and teasing like they normally were.

Astra had pocketed a bag of M&M's and the two were passing around the candy as they walked.

"Why are you only eating the blue ones?" Astra asked Percy after noticing him rummage in the bag for another blue-colored chocolate treat.

"Haven't I told you that story yet?" He answered her with a question of her own. She shook her head in the negative. He loved telling that story and it was a wonder she hadn't heard it yet.

"When I was younger, Gabe told my mom that there was no such thing as blue food…" Percy told her the story. How his mother went out of her way to prove Gabe wrong and that Percy grew up eating and loving blue food.

Astra was nodding and smiling as the story went on, utterly amused at the rebelliousness Sally had shown and the quirk Percy developed because of it. She could really see how Sally managed to raise someone like Percy.

"Your mom's nice." Astra said and she meant it too. From what she saw earlier, Sally Jackson was an undeniably warm and kind woman.

"Yeah! She's the best in the world!" Percy grinned. He was really proud of his mom. "You know, I think she knows… or at least suspicious."

"'bout what?"

"She was asking all these questions earlier… like commenting about how pretty you were and waiting for my response." Percy said to her. "It was like she was fishing for answers. Like she had her suspicions about what I think of you."

"And what would you have answered?" Astra asked him.

"Well…" Percy scratched his cheek. "Its pretty obvious isn't it?" He said avoiding her gaze. "You're gorgeous. Totally out of my league…"

Astra suddenly jerked to a halt and went silent. It took Percy a few more steps before noticing that she stopped.

"Astra?" He turned to her, a questioning look on his face.

"Not that." Astra said softly, her whispered words carried to him by a sudden gust. "I'll be waiting for you, but for what exactly?" Her hair was billowing, the soft blonde locks flowing with the wind. "What am I to you?"

Percy opened his mouth to answer but nothing came out. What was she to him? He knew he cared for her deeply and she cared for him too. He was also pretty sure he liked her. But it was hard to put into words what she was to him.

Friend? No, they were already past that stage. Even from the beginning when they first met Percy felt something with her, like he somehow knew they'd click. And now, calling Astra just a friend seemed… lacking.

Best friend? Grover would be pissed. Or jealous, more likely. He couldn't really see Grover being pissed. Maybe passive-aggressive.

Girlfriend? He was too young. Maybe once he'd grown up a bit; she did promise to wait after all. But to be honest, that was what he wanted her to be, and hopefully what she wanted as well. He just wasn't sure if he was ready.

Why did labels make everything harder?

Percy looked at her breathtakingly beautiful form, as if all the answers were in her possession. Maybe it was.

She was nervously awaiting his answer, shifting her feet and twiddling her thumbs. The wind had stopped blowing and her hair had gotten messy but it still looked absolutely perfect on her. If anything, the messy hair gave her a wilder look that Percy found unbelievably hot. The only downside was that her eyes were hidden behind that hot mess of blonde and he wanted to look at them again and drown in those blue pools that promised so much.

It felt like something inside him was roaring the answer. It was the same as last night, when the overwhelming rage he felt towards the scum appeared. Unlike last night, however, it felt subdued, weakened, like something else was dampening its intensity and he couldn't make out what it was saying.

A few more seconds passed in silence, with Percy's mouth opening and closing like he was about to say something but words kept catching in his throat.

"I-I don't… it's complicated." Percy finally managed to force out and he winced at how lame and cliché he sounded.

Her hair still hidden from his sight by her hair, she resumed moving towards Central Park Lake, silently passing his still form.

"Astra?" He was worried now. Did he somehow offend her? Disappoint her?

"Let's go. I can see it from here." Her voice was lacking any of the cheerfulness and warmth that it typically had.

"Um… okay…" He said as he jogged to catch up with her.

It did not take long for them to reach the boathouse near the lake. They managed to acquire a decently sized rowboat. It wasn't all that special but the space on the boat made for a very close and intimate atmosphere.

That is, if the romantic air wasn't being overshadowed by the heavy tension surrounding the two.

The boy rowed their rented boat out onto the lake, but neither of them were really enjoying the experience.

It was a shame because it was such a beautiful day and the lake was exceptionally beautiful. The pair that was usually comfortable with each other, whether joking around or in silence, was currently experiencing an awkwardness between them.

Astra was uncharacteristically quiet throughout the time they spent in Central Park Lake. She was really excited about the boat ride in the car but her exuberance was visibly diminished. All she was doing was staring out into the water at the various ducks and fowls and munching on some chocolate.

Percy, on the other hand, was thinking about her earlier question. What was Astra to him? He couldn't put it out of mind and he spent the hour or so brooding over it. His eyes were glued to the woman sitting on the boat with him as he searched deep inside himself for an answer.

What was Astra Black to Percy Jackson?

* * *

It did not take long before the time they were supposed to meet up with Sally arrived, though to Percy it seemed like he had been waiting forever. The tension was so thick that the seconds felt like hours.

By the time they had walked back to the car, Astra was mostly back to her usual self. She was currently chattering about excitedly about the restaurant she had in mind. The only signs that pointed out to her earlier mood was the fact that she wouldn't meet Percy's eyes, even when talking to him.

Percy wasn't any better. He still seemed to be lost in thought. Although he was nodding along and responding to Astra's words, they were mostly one-word answers. You could really tell he was distracted especially since he kept bumping into strangers and light posts.

Waiting for them by the car was Sally. She was still wearing her red and blue Sweet on America uniform, though she was wearing a coat over her blouse. Her break had begun five minutes ago and she about an hour to spend on lunch.

"Hello Sally!" Astra greeted as they approached, energetically shaking the older woman's hand. "Let's go! There's this really good place fifteen minutes away…" She gushed she unlocked the car and gestured for them to get in.

"Hey mom." Percy said absently. He shot her a lazy wave. "We better hurry or we'll drown in Astra's drool."

"You call her by her first name?" Sally asked, going back to her previous line of questioning. She was really curious about her son and this woman she met today and was determined to get some answers.

"Yeah."

Sally waited for Percy to elaborate but he only seemed to stare out into space. He got in the car, sitting in the passenger seat and Sally was left alone on the sidewalk. Astra had already gone in a while ago.

"That was odd." She said to herself as she started to get in the backseat. Percy was usually more… talkative than that.

The duo turned trio drove onto the streets of New York, joining the throngs of traffic bound cars and pedestrians. Civilians and taxi drivers alike impatiently honked their horns, contributing to the overall clamor the hustle and bustle of the city produced.

Inside the car though was a different story. The windows were up so the racket outside was reduced to a cacophony of muted sounds. What filled the enclosed space of the vehicle was the persistent chattering of a woman, Astra, and the calm and gentle responses of the other, Sally.

Deciding that they could leave the true purpose of this visit for later, they were currently engaged in a conversation regarding the restaurant they'd be eating in. Astra already had a place in mind and was telling Sally a bit about the menu.

"They have this really good kung pao chicken…" Astra looked at the rear-view mirror, making eye contact with the older woman. "But they also have this wonderful Sesame Chicken…" A bit of drool escaped from her mouth.

Sally was nodding along indulgently at the exaggerated dilemma Astra found herself in. Honestly, she was a little amused at just how serious she was taking the whole thing. "Why don't we order both?"

Astra's eyes lit up. "Yeah! What a great idea." She gave the woman through the mirror a dazzling smile.

Sally was once again reminded of the sheer beauty and charm this one woman exhibited and wondered if Percy was taken in because of it. She glanced at her son and noticed again his lack of focus. Usually this could be explained by his ADHD but it was apparent that it wasn't this time because he actually looked subdued as he looked out the window into the streets. More like he was deep in thought.

As the only male amongst the three, Percy was noticeably distracted as evidenced by his lack of participation in the conversation. He was still thinking about his earlier conversation with Astra and the question she posed. Only this time, there were also thoughts about the violet-eyed girl swirling around in his head.

Somehow, thinking about what Astra was to him also made him think about what that girl was to him. Why was he dreaming of her?

He almost couldn't believe that it had only been a day since he started to remember her because it felt like he should have known the girl for years. He didn't even know her name but if he were to ever cross paths with her, he would recognize her immediately. That waist-long raven hair was too impactful and her porcelain skin too striking. The clincher, however, were her eyes. When he closed his eyes, he could still see those striking violet orbs although they were frequently alternating with Astra's green-flecked blues.

And then there was that guy in the suit that –

"Percy!"

His name being called interrupted his train of thought and got his attention which was understandable since it was practically yelled in his ear.

"What?" Percy asked a tad annoyed.

"I've been calling you for a while now!" It was Astra. "I asked you what you wanted to order?"

"Order?" He was confused. Weren't they still talking about him and her?

"For lunch…" Astra clarified for him now looking a bit worried. What had him so distracted that he even forgot they were going to the restaurant. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to ask her earlier question. She got ahead of herself a bit there and now Percy was overthinking things. "We're having Chinese…"

"Are you okay honey?" Sally asked from the backseat and Percy remembered where he was. His mom reached out and lightly stroked his hair.

"I'm fine… sorry, just thinking…" He assured them as he felt his mother's fingers run through his scalp. It felt nice and he loved it but somehow it didn't feel as good as last night with Astra. "So… lunch." He said averting the subject from himself to their order.

"Right. We've already decided on spring rolls, wonton soup, some spicy tofu…" Astra began as she started enumerating what they'd thought up with Sally occasionally adding an item.

"Why are we ordering two types of chicken?" Percy asked once the two women finished listing everything.

"Because they're both reaaaallly delicious!" Astra said, taking her hands off the wheel to stretch her arms out sideways to show just how good they were. Fortunately, they were currently stuck in traffic and they weren't moving an inch.

"Do you have anything to add, Percy?" Sally asked glancing worriedly at the steering wheel. The car had power steering though so she needn't be distressed.

"Maybe another pork dish… char siu or something…" He looked pensive. "Or maybe beef. We don't have one of those yet."

"Oh! They do this really good beef. It's braised in soy sauce and…" Astra started gushing about the beef. Guess they were ordering that.

"Do we really need that much though?" Sally pointed out. "There're only three of us. You ordered enough for eight…"

"It's fine. Percy and I can probably eat that much even if it's just the two of us…" Astra boasted proudly. "Remember the roast pig…" She said nudging Percy in the side.

The boy laughed, remembering how much they pigged out that day. "How could I forget? I was almost bursting, I ate so much…" He patted his belly, as if it was still full of roast pork. "My stomach was huge… while you had even more than me but yours didn't even bulge!" Percy poked her in the side and Astra squealed. A grin sprouted on the boy's face.

"Percyyyy..." Astra whined as the boy kept poking her sides. The sounds of her squeals and giggles filled the car. She was really ticklish there. "Don't do that. I'm driving!"

"We're not moving…" He shot back as he wiggled and started tickling her in earnest. "So that means… your fair game!" Leaning over the center console, he used both hands in his task, making her laughter louder and continuous.

"Stop! Heeahaa STOP!" Astra started screaming hysterically but Percy wouldn't let up. He was having too much fun watching the way Astra reacted to his hands. Loved how he was making her scream. Now only if she'd scream his name. "Percyyyy!" Ah! There it was.

"Make me…" His earlier brooding all but forgotten. Astra was already flushed and out of breath. Her face was a beautiful pink and the way she looked stroked something within Percy.

'MINE!' It roared. That was what it had been roaring all this time behind that barrier that dampened its intensity. Somehow, the sight of Astra all bothered and screaming returned its force and it was now roaring the answer.

What was Astra Black to him?

'MINE!'

"Ahem!" Someone cleared their throat behind them. "The traffic's moving." It was Sally. Percy had forgotten all about his mom sitting in the backseat. She'd just witness him do those things to Astra.

Slowly, robotically, Percy turned his head to look at her.

"Hi Percy!" She shot him a wave, a knowing smirk on her face.

Oh shit.

* * *

A.N.

Done! And it only took me two weeks. Granted, it was a bit shorter than the previous chapter and I wrote that in a week. This chapter was a bit hard. I have a clear direction of where I want this story to go but it's just a bit hard to put it into words especially since English isn't my first language.

For anyone who is wondering, I'd likely update maybe every one or two weeks. Sometimes maybe three. Sometimes not even a week.

You guys seemed to really enjoy Astra and Percy but this won't be the sole pairing. There will, of course, be Artemis involved, but maybe others too. Don't worry though, he won't get too many girls and some of them will only be temporary. Anyway, Astra and Percy aren't together, he's still too young (though you could kinda say that they are... meh, labels) but she'll wait for him until he's old enough. And she's his. He'll mature quickly though, he's already started growing as was displayed in this chapter.

By the way, next chapter we're going back to Yancy and the sword tournament. Warning: there'll be a bit less Astra coming. (She's been having a bit too much screen time lately)

So, that's it. I just wanted to give some kind of idea about what's going on since I don't think I'm being clear in the writing.

Read and Review, guys!

See you next chapter!


	7. Prodigy in the Making

Percy Jackson and Andromeda's Lament

Chapter 6: Prodigy in the Making

Pulling up to the designated parking spot for the principal of Yancy Academy, Astra brought the car to a park and shut off the Panamera's engine. The sun was still well up in the sky being only around 3pm.

Lunch had been a great success and they had achieved what they set out to do: have Percy's consent form signed. He was officially permitted to join in the training and sword tournament.

Their meal began with them being sat at a table in the middle of the restaurant. Astra waved a waiter over, an Asian-looking young man, who smiled like he just won the lottery. Judging by the looks the other waiters were giving him, it was fairly obvious that they were silently arguing on who would wait on the hot blonde's table.

Since the trio had already decided what they'd have in the car, said blonde swiftly listed their orders, in fluent Chinese even, and the man rushed to keep up. Good thing their waiter was actually Chinese.

The main reason for their visit was broached by Sally right after their orders were taken. It did not take much convincing. Sally herself seemed pleased with the idea. Even before their food arrived, the form was already signed.

Astra was really glad that things went smoothly. She was sure that there wasn't a chance for a refusal but there was still that small, niggling feeling that things would go wrong. Sally was a smart woman and she probably knew what Percy was gonna face in the future. She was also a really good person and Astra could really see herself becoming friends with her. They'd talked about all sorts of things during lunch and she really enjoyed their conversation.

"Well, that went well." She commented aloud to the boy sitting next to her. He had been uncharacteristically silent during lunch. She thought that he'd gone back to normal after the whole tickling thing but then this happened and he retreated further into himself.

"Yeah." Percy replied absently, locking eyes with Astra. He looked troubled, like there was something weighing on his shoulders.

"Are you okay?" Astra asked. Was he still thinking about her question? Damn. "If it's about the thing back in Central Park…"

"No." Percy denied. "It's not that." He sighed. "I… I think I'll go rest in my room. Thanks for the date, Astra. It was really fun." Leaning over the center console, Percy gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "I'll see you later, 'kay?" He opened the car door and stepped out. "Pop open the trunk for me, yeah?"

"No problem…" Astra whispered to no one as she unlocked the car trunk and watched Percy walk to the back. He retrieved the case full of clothes and started walking back to the dorms, easily lifting the large case, leaving Astra to stare at his retreating figure. She was rubbing her cheek where Percy had kissed her, savoring the feeling of his rough lips on her skin and the tingling sensation below her navel. "Percy…" What was up with him?

* * *

Percy was walking back to his dorm room that he shared with Grover, lost in thought. Right now, his mind was plagued with worry. He wasn't fretting about Astra anymore; he already found the answer to her question. No, he was worried about his mom.

She knew. He was sure of it; his mom knew what he thought of Astra. And Percy was worried about what she'd do with the information.

Sally Jackson was the sweetest, kindest woman in the world but she also had her bouts of rebelliousness. Just ask his stepfather, who had been subjected to all sorts of blue food just because he told her there was no such thing. (On second thought, don't. He's a dick.)

Now, she knew something that Percy was trying to hide. It wasn't as if he was ashamed; far from it, he wanted to scream to anyone who would listen that Astra was his. She was perfect to him. Smart, beautiful, talented, funny, she was the whole package and he was lucky that it seemed she was willing to settle for him. That was why he wanted to be better, so that they could stand as equals. He didn't want her to settle, he wanted her to be with him because he was deserving of her.

'The kindest, bravest, most loyal'

Her words from last night echoed in his mind. It was hard to believe that not even 24 hours had passed. Those words would be his mantra for the years to come. To be the kindest, bravest, most loyal man in the world, perfect for the smartest, funniest, most beautiful woman in the world. To have her be his.

That was how deep his resolve to be with her went.

Aside from Percy's own desire to be good enough for her, there were other things that kept him from just taking Astra right there.

There was the age difference, though Percy knew that it didn't really matter. If what Astra claimed was true, she was younger than what Percy assumed. Below twenty-five. And if he was to take for example the numerous high-profile couples, a difference of ten or so years wouldn't matter in the long run.

Besides, judging by the way puberty hit him early, he'd grow up real fast.

Another fact that kept him from being with her was his status as a student. He wasn't really sure, but wasn't it illegal for student-teacher relationships? What more if the other party was a principal. He didn't want Astra getting in trouble.

Then again, he'd be graduating in a few years. Hell, maybe he'd even get expelled and he'd have to transfer schools again. If that happened, then they won't be principal and student anymore, just boy and woman.

That was the worst-case scenario though. He didn't want to be expelled again, not just because it would be the sixth time in six years and he was starting to get tired of transferring but it also meant that he'd see Astra a lot less. No, if he wanted to be good enough for her, he'd have to strive to be better in everything he did, whether it be his behavior or his schoolwork.

However, to him the largest obstacle would be if his mom disapproved. He loved his mom. But he wanted to be with Astra too and he honestly didn't know what to do if he was forced to choose.

He let out a tired sigh. Why was this so complicated?

Lost in thought as he was, he didn't notice his surroundings. He had been absently walking towards the dorm room, trusting his body's familiarity with the route to get him back.

That was why he didn't notice when he walked right into someone.

"Ooof." He felt a tug at his shirt collar, knocking him off-balance and the case he was carrying clattered to the floor, scattering all the expensive clothes within. Luckily, his newfound muscles lent his body the stability it required to stay upright, though it took a moment for him to re-orient himself.

The person he bumped into was a girl, judging by the soft body the person had. "Sor-" Percy tried to be apologize, offering a hand to the downed party when he was cut off rudely.

"Hey! Watch it Prissy!" It was Nancy. She was on her butt on the floor, legs spread apart. Percy immediately looked away, cursing his luck. That was a sight he did not want to see. She was wearing a skirt too.

"Yeah… sorry Nancy." Percy stammered. He offered his hand once more to help her up but was rebuked when she just slapped it away.

"You better watch out twerp." Nancy warned him, dusting herself off after standing up on her own. "You're gonna pay for that."

Percy looked back at the girl with a glare – here was trying to be nice and she was all hostile – when he noticed she was red with embarrassment. She was hiding it behind a veil of anger but Percy could see the truth in her eyes. They weren't angry like her voice was.

"Yeah yeah. Won't happen again." He said simply. He didn't want to pick a fight, not right now.

There was something inside him, bubbling right underneath the surface that was egging him to fight. He wasn't supposed to be insulted like this. He could have crushed this offending girl with a flick of his finger.

'The kindest, bravest, most loyal…'

Still, the words Astra said to him last night kept him from acting. He wanted to be better. She was beneath him. She wasn't even worth his time, so he won't bother.

"It better not, Prissy!" Nancy said as a parting shot, dragging the hated nickname out. She glanced around the shirts, pants and shoes that littered the floor and she grinned evilly. "Or you'll never see this again…" Nancy grabbed a piece of clothing randomly and held it up gleefully.

Percy's eyes narrowed. Really Nancy? He was really tempted to give in to his instincts. To crush this mortal like a bug but then he noticed what she held up and all thought of exerting his superiority vanished.

"Okay… keep it… for now…" Percy said straight-faced, making Nancy's eyes widen in surprise. Guess she wasn't expecting him to give in without a fight. "But make sure you take good care of them, 'kay. Those boxers are dry-cleaned only." His blank face disappeared as grinned cheekily at her when she dropped the pair of underwear like she had been burned.

"Prisssyyyy!" Nancy yelled angrily, her face burning red. Percy only laughed gregariously. He wasn't embarrassed at all, he hadn't worn that pair yet. He didn't even know if they were dry-cleaned only.

"Walk away Nancy!" Percy said between his bouts of laughter. Here she was trying to act all tough and bullying him again. Well, guess what, you just got played. "Walk away before you embarrass yourself more…"

The girl reddened further and Percy imagined steam coming out of her ears she was so mad. Without warning, the infuriated girl screamed shrilly and swung a punch at him. Before Percy could register the assault, his body reacted on autopilot.

He caught the offending arm by the wrist and twisted.

When Percy finally found his bearings, Nancy was face down on the floor. He was in a crouching position, with one knee resting lightly on Nancy's back. Her arm was held against her back with one of Percy's hands while his other was on Nancy's head keeping her pinned to the floor along with his knee.

"mmmphf…" Nancy struggled to get free but Percy's hold was solid. There was no escaping this one. She was at his mercy.

'What the hell just happened?' Percy thought to himself, still not moving from his position. This happened before, when he beat up the men from last night. His body acted on his own and somehow, kept him from getting hurt.

"What's going on here!" A stern voice nearly screamed from one end of the hallway and Percy froze. His heart started pounding nervously and ice filled his veins.

Of all people who had to witness his automatic response to Nancy's attack, it had to be her. The one person who wouldn't listen to him and take Nancy's side. The bane of his existence in Yancy Academy, surpassing even the girl pinned to the floor on the list.

Mrs. Dodds had just turned the corner of the hallway and saw the position he and Nancy were in. And she looked furious.

"Mr. Jackson!" She yelled as she stomped towards them and Percy felt his world shaking with each step she took. "Get off of Ms. Bobofit this instant!"

He scrambled to his feet, a bead of sweat trickling down his face. He was utterly fucked. This woman hated him and loved Nancy. Now he'd probably get weeks of detention or maybe even suspended. Just for protecting himself. But he didn't do anything wrong! He didn't deserve to be punished and especially not by this vile woman.

There was a roaring in his ears and his mind got fuzzy. His earlier dangerous thoughts resurfaced but he struggled and managed to bury them once more. The roaring stopped and he could think clearly again.

Nancy got on her feet and went to Mrs. Dodds side. She dusted herself off, glaring sharply at him all the while. Then her face brightened, like she had an idea, and she smirked at him victoriously for just a moment before she schooled her expression to a horrified look. He thought he'd humiliated her, Nancy Bobofit? That little twerp wasn't even worth the dirt on her shoes and she'd show him exactly how pitiful he is.

"Percy pushed me down ma'am…" Nancy said weakly to the teacher, playing the part of a helpless little girl. "I… I didn't know… he… then…" She whimpered, sniffled and started to tear up. "I think he was…" She didn't finish her thought because she sobbed convincingly.

Percy hated Nancy but you've gotta hand it to her, the girl could act.

He wasn't letting this go without a fight though. If Mrs. Dodds bought what Nancy was selling, then he wouldn't just be looking at detention. He might be expelled on the spot.

"She's lying!" Percy defended heatedly. "She started it. She threw the first punch! I just reacted!"

"Percy… bumped into me…" Nancy said now hiding behind the teacher, as if afraid of him. "Then… he made me hold that…" She pointed at the boxer shorts she'd recently tried to take. "Then when I tried to push him away, he pinned me to the floor…"

"Mr. Jackson!" Mrs. Dodds finally had enough. She was about to give the boy the punishment he so rightly deserved, at least judging by the way this poor, sweet girl trembled behind her. "You're e-" She didn't manage to finish.

Percy didn't deserve this. He was just defending himself. Now, he was about to be expelled while the real instigator got off scot free. No. This wasn't happening. This isn't fair.

His eyes found the cowering form of Nancy Bobofit hiding behind the hated Mrs. Dodds and he started glaring daggers into the girl. It was her fault. This wouldn't be happening if she wasn't such a bitch.

He felt a tug in his gut.

The teacher felt the power radiating from the youngster she was punishing. It felt… familiar. But different at the same time. And his smell, it was similar to that of her master's, but also like something else. Something salty.

She had to find out more. This boy was a mystery. He smelt like two different deities, and powerful ones as well.

Percy was not going to be expelled from this place. This was where _she_ was. He could not go before he had what was his. _She was his!_ This woman was trying to stop her from taking what was his! And that girl. She was lying! Lying to get him away!

The thing he'd been burying came back with a vengeance. His mind got fuzzy. He couldn't think straight. The only thing that kept repeating in his mind was a few simple words.

'LIES! MINE! BURN!'

Then something roared inside him.

Surprising the servant of the god of death, something overpowered the godly scent the boy was giving off. It was stronger than even her master's scent of death and the salty, sea like presence. It was feral, like a wild animal behind a cage. It smelled like fire and brimstone and destruction. It might have been trapped, but that was only because it wanted to be. If it so wanted, then it could break out at any moment and right now, it wanted out.

The Fury in disguise stepped back, herding the girl behind her away. She, a fury, one of the most feared servants of Hades, was getting scared of a young boy who by all means should be unaware of the divine world. But his eyes were frightening, like a beast who could both impress you with its majestic strength and raze your whole world at the same time.

Nancy herself had stopped the fake horrified girl act. She had stopped a while ago. Now, she was trembling for real. There was just something in Percy's eyes that freaked her out. It was like he wanted to rip her to shreds and right now, Nancy could believe that he could do it with ease.

The girl froze and if it wasn't for the algebra teacher between her and the… thing Percy was then she'd have probably wet herself in fright. Right now, she was doing everything she could just not to faint on the spot. She felt the heavy tension in the air and it felt like she was suffocating. His eyes were locked on them and if glares could burn, she'd already be incinerated.

Mrs. Dodds, on the other hand, tried to find a way out. What happened? What caused this reaction from the usually rambunctious but kind young man that was Percy Jackson.

This wasn't just about gathering information now. It was about escaping the wild beast that she had been faced with.

"Mr. Jackson…" Mrs. Dodds said tentatively. She saw the boy tense at her words, like he was getting ready to pounce, but she had an idea that just might work. Looking at the surrounding hallway they were in and noticing the scattered garments all over the floor, her resolve hardened. This was the right choice. The only choice if she didn't want witnesses to a hard-fought fight.

"Please pick up your belongings and go back to your room." She said and readied herself for the boy to pounce. He didn't but it didn't hurt to be prepared.

The teacher looked at Percy who was blinking owlishly, obviously confused, but the beast was still there, bubbling beneath the boy's sea-green eyes like magma ready to engulf everything in its path.

"I will escort Ms. Bobofit to the disciplinarian's office to decide on her punishment for assaulting you…" She reached behind her to grasp the said girl's hand. "Come along now sweetie…" They took a few steps away from the boy who looking puzzled at the turn of events. She tried to be nonchalant about the whole thing, afraid that something could set the boy off once again.

Fortunately, there wasn't. They managed to walk away without a fight. Losing sight of the boy when they turned the corner, Nancy suddenly collapsed to her knees. She was breathing hard, like she'd just run a marathon. Mrs. Dodds herself breathed a sigh of relief.

"What was that ma'am?" Nancy asked after catching her breath. That was so scary. She didn't think Percy had it in him to fight back properly but after that display, she was afraid to even be in the same room as him.

Mrs. Dodds looked at the girl oddly before snapping her fingers. "Something to watch out for." She mumbled to herself. Manipulating the mist to make the girl forget the encounter, she pulled her to her feet and started walking to the disciplinarian's office like she said to Percy. "C'mon now Ms. Bobofit. You know, you shouldn't attack others like that…" She said as she dragged the resisting girl.

"But Mrs. Dodds, it was Percy! Percy pushed me down and tried to…" Nancy said struggling against the teacher's grip. Why was this happening. They were supposed to punish Percy. They were supposed to believe her.

"Hohoho, come along now sweetie…"

* * *

Percy watched Nancy and Mrs. Dodds turn the corner with a puzzled look on his face. What the fuck just happened? Wasn't he just about to be expelled? Somehow, Mrs. Dodds did a 180 and punished Nancy instead of him.

His anger abated once her words reached him. He wasn't going to be punished and the one who was at fault got what she deserved. His mind which was foggy with restrained righteous anger cleared. The pressure that was building in its throat, just begging to be released, eased up until it disappeared completely.

He shrugged. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Turning to the scattered clothes all over the floor, he sighed and crouched down to start packing it all back in the case.

"Awww… damn it Nancy!" He exclaimed in the deserted hallways as he picked up the fang pendant Astra gave him. He had been wearing it since she gave it to him but somehow, the cord snapped when Nancy grabbed at his shirt earlier.

He held the pendant by the snapped cord and examined the dangling fang. There were curving, swirling designs on the tooth like what he noticed earlier but now it just hit him what the designs looked like. The swirls and swooping curves formed stylized outstretched wings.

"That really looks nice." Percy commented as he pocketed the pendant for now. He'd replace the cord later. There should be something suitable in his belongings somewhere. "Though why wings?"

Finishing up, he repacked all his new clothes inside the case and restarted his trek back to his room. It wasn't far now, maybe another five minutes of walking and unlike last time, he was paying attention to his surroundings. He didn't want to start another incident. He wasn't lucky enough to escape trouble twice.

Luckily, he didn't end up encountering anyone of note. There were a few people walking around, it was a Saturday, after all. Most of the students were probably lazing around in their rooms since you couldn't leave school grounds without permission.

This was a boarding school, after all, where all the rich people dump their kids in. Besides, there wasn't a lot to see in Upstate New York where Yancy was and the city was a good two hours away. The most exciting thing in the area was actually the school since there are mostly just sparse forests and small communities around.

Anyways, here are the ways to get permission to go out of Yancy during weekends:

Of course, emergencies are a given. There was this one time when Grover had to go out for family reasons and the school didn't even ask questions. He was gone within the hour.

The best way is to be enrolled as a scholarship student like Gregor was. Those guys are free to go as they please since they're mostly the poor students that commute from the city. It was a two-hour bus ride one way. If Percy didn't know better, he would have thought that the scholarship students were actually given the privilege of attending the school just to make the other rich brats feel good, but he knew Astra wouldn't let that happen.

Another way is to have the student's parents make a written agreement with the school that they are allowed permission to go out. Percy tried to get this one but his mom wouldn't let him. Said it'd be better to stay in school so that he'd focus more. Gabe was against it as well, saying that he'd not waste his 'hard-earned' money on his weekend.

Recently, he'd discovered another way to get out of Yancy without getting in trouble. Astra. The school field trip was a sanctioned event so there were no problems there but afterwards? That was a different story.

He'd asked Astra during dinner if he'd get in trouble since the field trip was over and he was still outside school grounds.

"I'm the principal, Percy. I've got it handled." She'd winked at him slyly and gave him a smirk.

Percy didn't question it. It was, after all, her fault he and Grover as ditched by the school bus.

His thoughts were interrupted when a basketball rolled to his feet. He'd cut through the courts outside as a shortcut to get to the dorms. Their school was so big that aside from the indoor gymnasium where Yancy Academy often used to house sporting events that they had an outdoor field area. Including the amazing library, massive pool and assembly room and dorm rooms that had their own bathrooms, Yancy was actually a very elitist-type educational institution and Percy was very lucky that he went there.

"Hey Perce! Pass it over here, will you?" A voice called from the basketball courts and Percy recognized one of his classmates. Percy nodded in reply but instead of simply throwing the ball towards the courts, he decided to go for a shot.

The distance was about a half-court shot, maybe a few meters farther.

Percy carefully placed the suitcase he was carrying on the ground. He rolled up his sleeves, exposing his newly toned forearms and making some girls gossiping in the bleachers giggle. Ignoring the giggling gaggle of girls, Percy picked up the basketball and lined up a shot. He wasn't really expecting to make it, half-court shots were notoriously difficult but hey, what did he have to lose?

The ball sailed through the air in a graceful, high arc. Instead of the usual half-court shots, which admittedly were more like random throws in the vicinity of the basket, he went for a more orthodox jump shot, imitating the forms of famous players like MJ or Kobe.

To his pleasant surprise, the ball went through the hoop with a clean swish of the net. It didn't even touch the rim.

The players around the basketball court and the people watching from the bleachers fell silent.

"Nice shot Percy!" The boy from earlier complimented, breaking the silence as the girls who were watching from the bleachers clapped and cheered. Guess it was pretty impressive.

"Thanks." Percy replied to the boy before shooting a wave at the girls which made them giggle. He smiled. The attention he was getting was usually of a more negative nature so this made for a very welcome change.

Having returned the ball to the courts as requested, Percy continued his trek to the dorms. He wasn't far now, the building he was aiming for was just beyond the soccer field. The boy felt the stares the girls were leveling on him. Snippets of their conversations reached his sensitive ears.

"Is that Jackson?"

"He looks different…"

"Look at those arms… and that bum… mmmmm…"

"He's a sixth-grader, Jane."

"Doesn't matter. He looks yummy…"

"Yeah… besides, he's only what? One, two years younger than us?"

As the girls started bickering on whether or not he was fair game, Percy blushed at the praise he was hearing. Definitely different from the normally critical reception he received from his peers. He picked up his pace, trying to get away quickly. Even though he appreciated the change, he didn't like feeling like a piece of meat.

"Ah… he's running. How cute."

Now getting self-conscious, he started running in the manliest way possible. Determinately hiding his face from the group of girls watching him and giggling, he pouted childishly. "I'm not cute, I'm macho…" He muttered under his breath as he jogged straight to his dorm room.

He didn't stop until he was at the door.

Not bothering to knock, it was his room after all, he opened the door and declared his arrival. "Grover? I'm back!" He said as he closed the door behind him.

Percy heard some panicked rustling and a drawer closing before Grover replied. "H-hey Percy…" His voice cracked, like was nervous. "Where've you been…"

"Somethings happened and I ended up staying the night at Astra's…" Percy looked around the room suspiciously before his gaze dropped to the fidgeting Grover. "What's up with you?" He noticed some cans perched on the desk Grover was sitting at. "You doing some arts n' crafts?"

Grover glanced at the half-eaten tin can on his desk and his eyes widened. He missed one. Crap. "Y-yeah… just some project for…" He trailed off trying to think of something… What class did he not have with Percy? Crap, they had everything together. "Just for fun…" He said chuckling weakly.

"Huh… sounds fun…" Percy said absently, making the goat boy let out a breath of relief. He bought it. Good.

Clearing his throat, Grover tried to steer the conversation to safer topics. Well, safer for him. He was sure that Percy thought otherwise. "So…" He tried to give his friend a knowing grin. "Spending the night? Not at Miss Black's but at Astra's?" He waggled his eyebrows teasingly. "Percy you sly dog!"

The accused boy sputtered. "It's not… Nothing hap…" An image of a topless Astra from this morning flashed in his mind and he trailed off. The sound of her ragged breaths and moans and her orange and rose petal scent filled his senses and his face flushed.

Grover grinned even wider. "Oh ho ho…" He sniggered at the face his friend had. To be honest, he was a little impressed with the boy. Not even thirteen and his demigodly charisma and charm had already ensnared an incredibly desirable woman. Grover wasn't gonna let him live it down though. Let the teasing begin.

"What happened? You kiss her?" He badgered, trying to get the information out of the tomato-faced boy.

"Nothing happened." Percy repeated trying to sound convincing but failing miserably. "We just got mixed up in…" His tone darkened. "stuff…"

Hearing the grimness in his voice, Grover shifted from his teasing grin to a more serious expression. "What happened Percy?" Let it be said that despite all of Grover's shortcomings, he took his job as protector very seriously.

"We…" Percy tried to pass it off as nothing but something gave him the feeling that telling Grover what happened with the thugs last night might be a good idea. "Astra and I were walking back to the car from the restaurant..." He started telling his friend the story. How he bumped into some thugs trying to take Astra's car, then Astra herself when they laid eyes on her. How… something… happened and he easily beat up all the bastards until he blacked out after taking out the last one. How he just found himself waking up in Astra's place the next morning.

When the demigod finished his story, Grover was silent. Percy had sat down on the bed while talking, the case he was carrying was resting on his lap.

"So…" Grover started after a moment. "You beat up… four guys?"

"Five. There was this one guy in the beginning… six-foot five and solid muscle." Percy corrected him. "I kicked him into the wall a few meters away."

"Riiiight…" Grover thought about what he said. "You kicked a giant and he went flying."

"Yep" Percy said popping the p. "Took him by surprise though. Had to beat up the other guys while they were carrying weapons."

"Okaaay…" Grover believed him. They already expected Percy would be a strong half blood but this? And nothing had ever lead him to believe that the boy even knew of his heritage. "So… great?" He didn't know what to say. He could've told Percy what he knew but that could only bring him more trouble. Ignorance was one of the things that hid his scent.

Percy nodded. "They would've taken _her_ if I hadn't." He almost growled out the words. Shaking his head to try and clear the murderous thoughts that started swimming in his mind, he changed the subject. "Anyways…" He rummaged inside his pocket. "Enough of that. Everything's over now. I'm here and Astra's probably driving back to her penthouse by now…" Bringing out the fang pendant, he showed the snapped cord to Grover.

"What's this?" Grover asked as he looked over the necklace curiously. He couldn't see it clearly but it looked very nice.

Percy smiled softly at the fang, giving Grover a good idea as to who gave it to him. "A gift. That brat Nancy snapped the cord earlier. You have anything to fix it?"

"Yeah… give it here…"

Percy gently tossed the necklace to Grover who caught it deftly. The crutch-bound boy studied the intricate designs on the fang, not recognizing any of them. They looked familiar, though he couldn't place them. Something European but definitely not Greek.

"I have a leather cord somewhere here…" Grover said as he rummaged in the many drawers on his desk. It was one of the camp necklaces, sans the beads. He always carried some with him to give to the campers he was leading. "Would that do?"

"Leather huh?" Percy tried to picture it. Instead of the black, synthetic cord, leather seemed to be a better option. "Can I see?"

Grover brought out the leather rope necklace. "It should be tougher than what this is." He raised the flimsy black cord that was currently looped through the small hole the fang had.

"Great!" Percy said making up his mind. "Looks good. And as long as it doesn't snap as easily…"

"Believe me." Grover said smirking as he replaced the old cord with the new leather. "This thing won't ever break." It was true. The campers usually undergo rigorous training and quests were almost always dangerous. For the camp necklaces to be kept for long, it had to be made with great care and was even blessed to be nigh unbreakable.

"Thanks G-man!" When the pendant was safely back in Percy's possession good as new, the boy grinned brightly and put it back on. He almost purred in delight. It was a perfect fit, the fang resting on the middle of his chest.

"No problem… so… Perce…" Grover said as he finally noticed the case atop Percy's lap. "What's with the case?"

"Oh." Percy blushed, realizing how Grover might take the other gift Astra gave him. He conceded though, didn't even try to delay the inevitable. Had to unpack sometime. Opening the lid, he brought out the contents and laid them out on the bed. "Just some clothes…"

"Woah…" Grover stood as he started looking at the garments. He walked to Percy's bed and gently felt the fabric of a dark blue button-up. "This is some really quality stuff… where'd you get it?"

"Astra…"

"Hmmm… That's nice of her…" Grover said nonchalantly and Percy felt hopeful. No more teasing please? "So… when's the wedding?"

Percy sighed in defeat. "Grover…"

"What?"

* * *

After the conversation with Grover on Saturday afternoon, which ended with Grover getting whacked on the head for his incessant teasing, Percy spent the rest of the day resting.

His choice of activity for a Saturday afternoon would come off as lazy to some, but after the hectic last night and morning he'd just experienced, it was perfectly understandable to want to just lay around.

Of course, his worries still plagued him. He was blankly staring up at the ceiling as he brood.

In the forefront of his mind was his mom. She didn't confront him and Astra or anything like that but still, the knowledge that Sally had an idea of their complicated relationship made things frightening for Percy. The knowing smirks and glances that his mom was shooting him throughout lunch and the drive back to Sweet on America were enough to make him shudder and shift nervously.

Then right after was the violet-eyed girl and the dreams that brought her to him. That was the main reason he didn't take a nap even though he felt tired. He didn't really know how dreams worked and he was worried he'd have it again in an afternoon nap. Once a night was bad enough, but to have them multiple times a day? He'd be drained of all his energy by the end of the week.

There was also the minor thing that was his homework. Yancy might have been a dumping ground for rich people to load off their troubled kids but it was still a fairly serious institution. They gave butt loads of homework to make up for the rather unruly classroom environment.

Right now, he had to write an analysis on a given short story for English, a sheet of Pre-Algebra questions to answer, Mr. Brunner's question, the "how myths are relevant to real life", for Latin and a bunch of other assignments to work on.

Groaning, he promised to finish everything tomorrow. Right now, he just wanted to rest.

Percy's eyes snapped open as he woke the following morning. He abruptly sat up, breathing hard as he felt the after-effects of the dream. He felt his sheets damp with his cold sweat.

It was that girl again. He remembered a bit of it, but it was mostly about that girl.

They had talked.

He didn't know how, but he remembered talking to the girl and she was replying. Percy didn't know what they were talking about, he forgot all about the words they exchanged, but he felt that it was important. He did remember though the girl's eyes, full of cold fury at him when he was first noticed but then changed to shock and surprise.

That made him shiver. Her eyes were so striking and there was only one other pair that made him react as much. Blue doe eyes specked with green flecks framed by platinum blonde hair. Amethyst violet eyes that expressed so much, as if to compensate for the normally blank face they rested in.

These were the eyes that haunted him. Astra's comforting eyes full of promise and the mystery girl's eyes that intrigued him greatly.

As he heaved in an effort to catch his breath, the boy tried to take stock of his surroundings. It was still dark out, though the slight dregs of sunlight peeked from the drawn curtains, signaling dawn.

He shook his head, clearing them of the troubled thoughts about his dream, and stood up from the bed. It was no use trying to go back to sleep, he was too shaken up about the blurred memories he retained.

Stretching his sleep-laden muscles, his joints popped and cracked satisfyingly as he yawned. "Ah… that hits the spot…" Percy's gaze landed on some running shoes that peeked out from inside his closet. Astra gave him those.

He walked to the window and peeked through the curtains. There was just enough light for him to see.

Shrugging his shoulders, he decided to do something that he'd always wanted to do but never really did.

A morning run.

'The kindest, bravest, most loyal…'

That was what Astra's words said but Percy wanted to be more than that. He wanted to be good enough for her both in personality and physically, just like how she attracted him both with her beauty both outside and inside.

Percy opened his closet door and picked out some suitable clothes. A loose t-shirt and some basketball shorts were what he picked, along with some white socks and the yellow Nike running shoes that he saw earlier. Astra really did buy him too much, there were at least four new pairs of shoes in his closet.

Carefully tiptoeing towards the door, picking up a towel on the way, in an effort to not disturb Grover who was mumbling in his sleep about tin cans and enchiladas of all things, Percy successfully exit the room. Sighing in relief at his success, he walked briskly to exit the dorms in the shortest time possible. Might as well warm up on his way there.

He opened the main doors of the building and was promptly greeted with a welcoming breeze. It was a bit cold and crisp but it only helped him wake more as his blood started pumping in anticipation.

Jogging to the track field because Yancy was so big that the outdoor field area had, besides the basketball courts, a baseball, soccer, football and track field. He reached the pill-shaped tracks and Percy did a few stretches at the starting line. Better safe than sorry.

Once he did a few sets of different stretches, Percy took to the tracks. He started off slowly, his engines just starting to rev. After a pair of laps, he started picking up speed to a trot. Not really slow but not fast either. Percy wanted to build up stamina first as this was something he planned to do every morning starting today.

At his medium-paced jog, Percy ran around the tracks for around thirty minutes. Since one lap equaled to almost 400 meters and he ran around one lap per minute, he figured he'd made good progress. He didn't really realize that he just ran almost 8 miles in, double what an average person without training can do.

And he didn't even feel tired. He was barely sweating! Additionally, he was just jogging. He ran a lap a minute while jogging.

Percy didn't notice any of these abnormalities, ignorant he was. All he was focused on was the thrill of the run. The endorphins flowing through him egging him on to keep running.

So, he started running faster and faster until eventually he was sprinting. He was running full-tilt as he experienced his first runner's high. His pace from before, thirty laps in thirty minutes turned into a full lap in twenty seconds. Percy's form was almost a blur as he ran like a maniac, a speed demon finally let loose.

And that was what he felt. He felt the crisp morning wind in his face and tousling his hair and he whooped in glee. This was great! He didn't know why he just started doing this now. His legs pumped as fast as they could and Percy almost felt like he was flying.

A purr built up in his chest at the idea. Soaring through the air above the clouds. The freedom of spreading his leathery wings and speeding up with every beat of his powerful limbs. Roaring in such a way that all the mortals on the ground gulped in fear and clutched their babes.

He felt great, running. He would feel even better flying.

Percy had been running for almost an hour now. The sun had risen already to a pleasant morning and the students and teachers inside the school grounds were beginning to stir.

Voices started reaching his ears. People were slowly trickling into the tracks, eager to start on their own morning runs. It was still fairly early and it was a Sunday. The joggers usually got up at an earlier time but it seemed they slept in today.

Percy slowed down to a normal jog. The trance he was in ended. He felt weird, like he didn't know his own body. Did he just think he had wings? Further thoughts were interrupted by company and soon, Percy forgot all about his daydream of flying under his own power.

"Hey! Your early… and new." A voice said from his right as someone joined him. "Name's Ted. What's yours?" Ted said offering him a hand.

"Percy." He took the proffered hand and shook. It was always good to meet new people and Ted seemed nice. He was older, probably part of Yancy's High School.

"Great. How long've you been runnin'?" Ted asked him as they jogged around the tracks side by side.

"'bout an hour."

"Really? That is early…" Ted looked at him curiously. "And you're not even sweating…"

Percy raised an eyebrow. He wiped his forehead with an arm. Yep. No sweat. "Huh… that's weird…"

"Maybe it's because you haven't been running fast enough… generating enough heat…" Ted suggested. "It's still pretty chilly after all…" He rubbed at his long-sleeved tracksuit. "And you're just wearing a tee and shorts…"

Ted grinned at him and Percy felt a shiver run down his spine. That grin looked dangerous. "Wanna race?" He said excitedly and Percy couldn't find it in himself to say no. The older boy just looked so excited. "Just two laps."

"Oka-" Percy didn't even finish. Ted had already sprinted ahead, too happy to have found a new victim. He was infamous in the fact that he had monstrous stamina and speed. No one could keep up with him in any of the sports in school, given that he had the skill to go along with his physical traits. Basketball, soccer, football, volleyball, track and swimming, he was the best athlete in the whole school. Even the teachers respected him which gave him considerable influence over school sporting events.

"Wha! Get back here!" Percy called out as he sped up himself.

"Hahaha! Catch up little Percy!" Ted replied as he ran ahead of the younger boy. He kind of felt sorry for Percy but sometimes it was just so fun racing with someone who had no hope of winning. Don't get him wrong, Ted loved the thrill of competition. The feeling of being down a point with only five seconds left or going head to head with a fast opponent with only fifty meters until the finish line was something he cherished and craved but sometimes it felt good to just run and see your opponent fall behind.

Ted looked behind him, expecting to see Percy maybe ten meters behind. Imagine his surprise when Percy pulled up right beside him and overtook him.

"On your left!" Percy called out as he ran past the surprised older boy. What the?! How could someone so small with such short legs be so fast.

"Who are you?! Captain America!" Ted said as he started sprinting, trying to catch up. It was no use though. The younger boy was fast and Ted had just started his run. He wasn't at all warmed up and by the time he did, Percy was too far out to overtake. He wasn't expecting him to be that fast. It was just supposed to be an easy win, a chance for him to feel good about himself.

Though, maybe this was fate. Percy was clearly a good athlete, and he looked young too… Maybe this was the guy that'd save their sports program! Even though Ted did everything he could to win league games, he alone wasn't enough and his teammates usually lacked the passion required to win. Maybe Percy could help him turn things around…

Percy though was frowning. He was sprinting with all his might but he couldn't seem to reach the speeds he reached earlier. His previous one lap in twenty seconds lagged to just below forty seconds and he wondered why. Maybe he was too tired?

Still, he won the race easily, though Ted managed to make up some ground by the last hundred meters. By the time he reached the last lap though, Percy was already there, wiping off with a towel. He'd started sweating again during the race.

"Haa… haa… What was that?" Ted asked, hands on his knees. He wasn't usually this quick to tire but he started sprinting without warming up first which took a hit on his stamina.

"Running." Percy deadpanned like it was the most obvious thing.

"I know you were but how were you so fast!" Ted exclaimed, his breath all caught up. "You're what, thirteen? fourteen?"

"I'm twelve." Percy replied which made Ted's jaw drop. This kid was only twelve but he could outrun him, granted not at his best. Still, his potential was off the charts!

"Percy, Percy, Percy…" Ted picked up his jaw from the ground and laid an arm around Percy's shoulder, offering the boy a bottled water. "I think we'll be seeing a lot of each other…"

"Huh?" Percy asked, confused. Was this guy coming onto him?

"Let me reintroduce myself. I'm Ted Robins… freshman highschool student and sports chairman of Yancy Academy…" Ted explained. "And you are my new best friend!"

* * *

When Percy had gone back to his room, Grover was still snoring away. It was well and truly morning now and breakfast was already being served in the cafeteria but here his friend was, hugging a pillow close and mumbling about some Juniper.

Percy had his towel draped around his shoulders and his hair was damp with sweat. Without waking Grover, since they still had more than enough time for breakfast, he headed for the shower, eager to get his body cleansed of the sweat and grime it accumulated in his and Ted's vigorous activities.

The older boy had explained what he meant earlier and to be honest, Percy was excited with the idea. Ted wanted Percy to be his protégé of sorts and help him get Yancy some Ws in the sports columns.

That meant that starting next year, Percy would be joining the Yancy junior sports teams. All of them in. The only reason he hadn't joined now was because it was too late because the school year only had four months left.

He'd join the teams in rotation in an effort to bring Yancy to glorious victory in the largest number of events possible. Then he'd join the high school teams on his freshman year where he and Ted had a year where they could finally team up and destroy the opposition.

Originally, he was only supposed to join the track team but in the short time between the end of their race and now, Ted and Percy discovered that Percy had talent in numerous other sports.

The younger boy had already told Ted about his talent for swimming and he'd believed him without question. That earned him a spot on the swimming team. Hearing that Percy had talent in things other than running had Ted excited so he all but dragged the younger boy to the other courts.

But first, they had to stop at a shed where most of the outdoor sports equipment was stored. The shed was locked being so early in the morning. Good thing Ted had a key of his own.

Sports equipment in hand, the duo headed to their first stop. The closest was the basketball courts so they went there.

Percy found himself laying one-on-one basketball with a guy taller and more experienced than him. It was a tough time since he didn't actually know how to play. The only thing he knew was to put the ball in the basket for a point, nothing else. Good thing he was very good at it. A good number of his shots were baskets.

He dribbled for crap at first but in maybe fifteen minutes of game time, Percy could suddenly maneuver like he'd been playing for years and he was quickly improving. Crossovers, behind the backs, between the legs, spin moves, Percy could do it all by the end of the game and the frequency of his baskets only increased.

Of course, it wasn't enough. Ted wasn't known as the sports prodigy for nothing. He could do almost everything with a basketball and he was taller and more experienced than Percy.

Counting on his athleticism to rebound the balls on missed shots, Percy kept jumping and reaching but he couldn't do anything against Ted's stature and box-outs. Then there were the back-to-the-basket moves which Percy couldn't even defend against.

He put up a good fight but eventually the game ended with a 21-15 score with Ted winning.

"Good effort Perce!" Ted clapped him on the shoulder.

"Thanks… I still didn't win though." Percy replied. "Though not bad for a noob though, right?"

Ted nodded but suddenly a thought came to him that made him both fearful and excited. "Don't tell me this is your first time playing basketball."

"No…" Percy said which made Ted sigh in relief. Good. This kid wasn't a genius athlete though he was a bit disappointed. "I usually play with the other guys my grade but just as a sub…"

"You're that good but you're only a sub? What are they, blind?" Ted was confused. How could talent not be used?

"I've never actually been on the court…" Percy said sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. "This was my first time actually dribbling and stuff… though there was the half-court shot I made earlier!"

Ted twitched. "C'mon, let's go to the other places." He said shaking his head. He was wrong. This kid wasn't talented, nor a genius. He was a monster.

As Percy came out of the shower in nothing but a towel, he thought about the rest of his morning playing sports with his new, older friend. They'd played a bit of soccer where Percy attacked and Ted defended, with one of Ted's friends being a goalie. Then baseball where they took turns as pitcher and batter.

For every sport they tried, Percy started off pretty shaky until a few minutes into the game where he'd quickly improve. By the end, he'd play really well, not super star good but starter good. Ted got really excited, wondering how good Percy would get when he had the proper training and the rules were explained to him.

"Grover" Percy called out as he rummaged in his closet for something to wear. "Wake up. We only have an hour left before breakfast is over."

Groaning awake, Grover sleepily sat up from his bed and looked at towel-clad friend. He was rubbing his eyes when suddenly they snapped open as they noticed Percy's toned back. "Hey… Perce?"

"Yeah man?" Percy said as he found some cargo pants and a t-shirt that'd do for the day. He turned around exposing his muscled front to Grover.

"Um… what's up with that?" Grover pointed to his stomach where the beginning signs of abs was formed. "Did you… go on steroids?" He asked lamely. Grover knew that wasn't the case but he honestly couldn't think of a better explanation. He was sure that Percy had a normal twelve-year old body when they'd left for the museum. Demigods matured quickly but not like this. Not overnight.

"What? No… of course not…" Percy was a bit offended at the question. "I guess I hit puberty early?" He shrugged signaling his lack of knowledge on the matter.

"Right." Grover said. Sorry Percy, but puberty doesn't work like that. Guess he'd have to go back and report to Mr. Brunner again.

"So… breakfast?" Percy had already finished putting on his clothes and he stared at Grover expectantly. He was still sitting in bed with his pajamas on.

"Oh… right… give me a minute…" Grover said as he picked out some clothes quickly and rushed to the shower.

Percy chuckled as Grover tripped on his fluffy bunny sandals. Turning to sit at his desk, he decided to use the time to try and read the story for his English homework. Might as well try to at least do the assignment. After all, a dumb boy couldn't be with the woman he wanted.

Percy and Grover entered the school cafeteria in the main school building. They still had maybe thirty minutes before breakfast was over and they hurried to get in line before the food was taken away.

Luckily for them, there was a short line since most students had already received their food.

"Good morning!" The lunch lady greeted them as they reached the front of the line.

"Morning. What do you have?" Percy asked the woman as Grover took a tray for the both of them.

"We have some beans, eggs, sausages, oatmeal…" As the woman listed off the available breakfast food, Percy looked around at the selection. Since Yancy was a school for rich kids, there was quite a large variety of food to choose from.

"I'll have some oatmeal, yogurt and a banana please. Oh, and some orange juice." Grover requested as he held out his tray. The woman smiled at him and started piling the food onto it. Then she handed a tall glass of orange juice to the boy.

"Pancakes, bacon, sausages…" Percy started as he felt his stomach growl. Wow, he didn't realize he was this hungry until the food was right in front of him. "A hash brown, a scrambled egg and can I have some toast… plus some chocolate milk."

Percy felt some drool at the corner of his mouth as his breakfast was handed to him. There was so much food that it barely fit on the tray. He looked at the lady in surprise. This was a lot of food and he'd never gotten this much before.

She winked at his surprised face. "Ted told me you'd be coming. And that you'd be starving. Percy, right?"

"Um… yeah. How'd you know it was me?" Percy asked. "And how do you know Ted, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Oh, that boy is always bugging me about more food." The lunch lady replied with a smile. Ted was a good kid and if he vouched for this one… "Said his stomach needed all the food it could get if Yancy were to win any games… He told me about this twelve-year old kid he met earlier with black hair and sea-green eyes. Told me I'd know you when I saw you…" She looked him in the eye. "Have to say, he was right. Your eyes are very beautiful, young man."

"Ah… thanks…" Percy said a bit embarrassed. The lady was a nice, almost motherly woman and he felt like he was talking to his own mom. "And thanks for the extra food! We'll be sure to come and get our next meals when you're serving!" He said smiling cheekily at the woman who laughed at his declaration before he and Grover looked for a place to sit.

The cafeteria was packed. It was a Sunday and since there were no classes, everyone seemed to sleep in or have long breakfasts. There wasn't an empty table anywhere, though there were vacant seats scattered around.

The two friends were about to give up on eating together and separate to sit on one of the vacant seats when a voice called them over.

"Hey Percy! Over here! Bring your friend along too, we have the space!" It was Ted. He was waving at them, trying to get his attention and Percy strolled towards him with a grin.

"Hey Ted." Percy held up a fist which Ted promptly met with his own. "Glad to see you. This is Grover, my best friend and roommate." He introduced which led Grover to utter his own 'Nice to meet you' and offer a hand for a shake.

Percy and Grover took the remaining seats on the table as Ted started introducing everyone.

"Hiya Grove! Percy this is Carlie," Ted pointed at a brunette that was sitting next to him, "Seth, you met him earlier at the soccer field, John," He pointed at the two boys Percy assumed was Seth and John who grunted in acknowledgement. "And that's Jane. John's younger sister."

"Hi…" Jane called out to him with a small wave. It was one of the girls he overheard yesterday in the bleachers, the one who called him yummy. She had long light brown that were curled and dyed blond at the tips.

"Everyone, this is Percy. He's the guy I was telling you about, the monster on the fields I met this morning." Ted introduced him to the group which earned him some hiyas and hellos. "And that's Grover."

"Are you guys really sixth-graders?" Seth asked. "I admit you guys are a bit on the short side but you don't really look like you're twelve." From what he could see, Percy had some lean muscle on him and Grover had that wisp of a beard on his chin.

"Yeah… I recently hit puberty or something." Percy said making Seth nod in understanding. "And I understand I don't look twelve anymore." He turned to Jane who eeped at the attention she received. "I heard I look yummy now…" Percy waggled his eyebrows at Jane who hid her blushing face behind her hands.

"Hey! Back off kid." John warned him, thinking he was making a move on his sister. "You're a few years too early to be hittin' on my sis, literally."

Percy raised his hands in surrender when Jane interjected. "Don't, Johnny. It's my fault." She said lowering her hands from her blushing face. "I was with Jenny and the rest of the girls yesterday when he walked by and I…" She hid her face once again, unable to look at the others at the table. "called him yummy. Guess he heard us talking."

"Loud and clear." Percy confirmed making Jane blush harder. She was making a very convincing argument that she had tomato in her ancestry.

The group laughed at the girl, but John seemed a bit embarrassed as well. Considering his sister just admitted to finding a twelve-year old hot, it seemed a bit understandable that he would be.

"Sorry Jane…" Grover told the still blushing girl once the laughter died down. "But Percy's taken." He glanced at the fang pendant hanging from Percy's neck, drawing attention to the piece of jewelry.

Percy had been wearing the necklace ever since it had gotten repaired, even sleeping and showering with it on. It just made him feel better to have it there around his neck and on his person.

"Oohhh that's cool." Seth said as he examined the patterns etched into the fang.

"Yeah. Who's it from?" Carlie asked and Grover since it seemed she'd get no answer from Percy himself.

"It's from Pr-"

He didn't finish. Percy smacked him on the back of the head. "Stop talking."

Instead of getting mad, Grover simply laughed heartily at his friend's reaction. Whenever Percy hit him it didn't really hurt since it wasn't serious and besides, it was kinda his fault anyway.

The group became even more curious upon seeing Percy's reaction but no matter what they did the two's lips were sealed. Even Grover's.

Seeing that nothing would come from this line of questioning, Ted changed the subject. "Looks like Mama Rida gave took my advice to heart." He said gesturing at the amount of food Percy had.

"Yeah…" Percy assumed this Mama Rida was the nice lady who served them breakfast. "Thanks for that, by the way."

"Don't mention it." Ted grinned at him. "We need you nice and strong if we want to win in the future so grow well, Percy!"

Percy grinned in return and started eating vigorously while Ted was talking to him about training regimens.

"What's he talking about?" Grover asked. He hadn't had the chance to ask Percy where he'd been this morning so he was the only one out of the loop. Ted had been telling his friends about Percy since the start of breakfast.

"Ted met Percy this morning at the tracks." Seth said in between mouthfuls of food. "Said he got beat in a race."

Carlie interjected, seeing as Seth was still eating and she had already finished. "Ted's full name is Ted Robins." She said and Grover's eyes widened in understanding. Ted Robins was famous in Yancy as single-handedly carrying the basketball team to the quarter-finals of the city tournament. Since they were part of the New York high schools, that was a big deal.

"Percy beat him in a race?" Grover asked, both surprised and proud at his friend.

"Yeah. Then they started playing a bunch of other sports and the kid did well so…" Charlie explained the plan to Grover. Ted wanted to take Percy under his wing so once he was a senior and Percy a freshman, they'd rule the high-school sports world.

"Wow." Grover said, amazed. Percy was supposed to have above-average physical abilities as a demigod but it was impressive to be this gifted without training. Imagine what he'll be like when he'd finally get to camp.

"So, we'll meet back at the tracks later?" Ted asked Percy who was now finishing up his large breakfast.

Percy thought about it for a bit then frowned. "Sorry Ted, but I've got a ton of homework."

"Oh." Ted looked disappointed but he couldn't do anything about it. "Alright. Guess there's no helping it since a student with failing grades can do sports anyways… school policy…"

"I'll see you tomorrow though." Percy told the older boy which brightened at his words. Like a true sports nut, Ted was happy as long as he was active, even at dawn. "Maybe like this morning?" After all, Percy still had the dreams that always woke him early.

"I'll be there." Ted said. "We'll race a bit, then I'll start teaching you how to play basketball…"

As the duo of Percy and Ted made plans for tomorrow, Grover ate his breakfast while listening in. This was good. With the recent turn of events, Percy would get some physical training even while in school while with the sword tournament Miss Black proposed, he'd get Chiron to teach him the ways of the sword. Even before reaching camp, Percy might already be a trained demigod. Maybe, with such a powerful half-blood with him, he wouldn't fail again.

His thoughts were interrupted when Percy stood up and clasped his shoulder. "Grover? You finished?" Grover glanced at his empty tray and then looked at Percy with a look that said 'duh.' "Right. Wanna go to the library? I need your help with stuff…" Percy said which surprised Grover. Percy usually didn't ask for his help. He was the kind of guy that would do what needed to be done by himself, even if what he could do was crap.

"Okay." Grover replied. It wasn't like he was against it. Quite the opposite actually, he always offered his help but Percy always refused.

"Bye guys." Percy said turning to Ted and his group. "It was nice meeting you, Carlie, Seth, John, Jane." He smiled at them earning him smiles in return though Jane's eyes looked a bit unfocused as she waved goodbye. "See you tomorrow, Ted."

"Definitely!"

"C'mon Grover. We can start with that blasted essay for English…" Percy said as the two friends walked to the school library to do their homework.

* * *

Percy and Grover had done everything they could to work on Percy's assignments and what they ended up with was something that Percy was happy with. It wasn't perfect – far from it, there was a number of points that Percy was doubtful of – but it was the best thing he could do with the time he had left.

Grover was a big help, especially in the English assignment. Percy's dyslexia made it difficult for him but with Grover by his side to help him get through the toughest areas, he managed to finish. Thing was, the longer he kept working, the less frequent he needed Grover's help.

It was Monday now and Percy and Grover had just finished their first period, English with Mr. Li. Yep, they had a Chinese English teacher.

Yancy required students to wear a uniform but fortunately, they had a bit of leeway in the matter. The boys could choose between a blazer, a cardigan or a vest to wear over a white button-up shirt and pants while girls had the same selection, though they had to wear pleated skirts. Of course, the Yancy Crest was on their chests. At least they were blue…

"How'd you do?" Grover asked Percy as they walked to their next class. He was wearing one of the stuffiest uniform combinations Percy had ever seen. Grover had on the required white shirt and black pants along with some nice-looking leather shoes but what bothered Percy was that he was wearing both a vest and a blazer, plus a tie. He looked hot just looking at him.

"Not bad… B+" Percy replied, holding up his essay with a smile. It was actually a pretty high grade for him. He was more used to getting Ds or Cs. Unlike Grover, Percy was wearing the least amount of required clothing. The white shirt and pants, of course, since those were non-negotiable but his shoes were sneakers and he had on an unbuttoned cardigan. He wasn't wearing a tie.

"That's nice…" Grover replied, honestly proud of his friend. He knew how hard Percy found English with his disability. "By the way, how was your run with Ted?"

"Not bad…" Percy told Grover, thinking over what happened this morning. "We had another race where he beat me barely…"

"I thought you won yesterday…" Grover interjected.

"I did, but he hadn't warmed up yet…" Percy clarified to which Grover nodded. Still, even though he won because his opponent wasn't ready, when your opponent was Ted Robins, that was something to be proud of. Especially with the height difference.

"Anyways, after an hour of jogging he taught me some moves on the basketball court." Percy continued telling him about his morning. "Said if I worked a bit on passing I'd make the perfect point guard for the team…"

"Did you have any trouble shooting jumpers?" Grover asked. This was one of the ways he could narrow down Percy's parentage. He had an idea and if he was correct, Percy was cursed in anything involving shooting from a distance.

"That was one of the first things Ted addressed. He had me shooting threes." Percy explained to Grover who was looking at him eagerly. "I made eighteen out of twenty shots." He finished proudly.

Grover's heart sank but he desperately tried to keep it off his face. "That's great! Only two missed shots…" Another point that lessened his chances that he was right with his guess. Children of Poseidon were notoriously bad at any form of shooting since Apollo cursed them because of Orion.

"Yeah… and he actually considered putting me in as a shooting guard but…" He held his hand up to over his head. "I'm still a bit too short… and I could dribble well enough so point guard for now…"

Grover nodded absently. He was organizing his weekly report to Mr. Brunner. It was just the start of the week, Monday, but already he had a lot of stuff to tell the legendary trainer. He hadn't even probed into the matter of the dreams yet.

"We're here." Percy told him which brought him out of his thoughts. "Pre-Algebra. Crap."

"Language." Grover said but he was starting to shake as well. "Let's go in before Mrs. Dodds marks us as late and gives us detention."

"Right." Percy said as he pushed open the door and walked in the classroom, Grover following behind him.

The duo rushed towards some open seats in the back, hoping that Mrs. Dodds wouldn't call on them in class. Weirdly enough, a few minutes later, their fears were unfounded as a perky blonde woman entered the classroom.

"Good morning everyone. I'm Mrs. Kerr. Mrs. Dodds has taken a leave of absence. I will be your substitute for the week."

"Good morning Mrs. Kerr." The class chorused, happy they wouldn't be subjected to a period with the leather-clad woman from hell. Though Nancy looked a bit disappointed. Guess it made sense, a hell-spawn like her would like Mrs. Dodds.

Percy looked around the classroom while Mrs. Kerr was writing something on the board. Things were normal except for Grover who was looking a bit strange. He'd guessed that his friend would be the most relieved person in the class with Mrs. Dodds absent but it wasn't the case. Grover was gnawing on his nails nervously and looking between the clock and the door. He was also pale and sweating. Maybe he was sick or something? Though he seemed alright this morning.

"Pssst… Grover…" Percy said under his breath, trying not to get noticed by their new teacher. "What's up with you?"

Grover didn't reply but tried to send him a reassuring smile, which was more like a grimace. He was worried about the reason Mrs. Dodds suddenly left Yancy. Did something happen that he wasn't aware of? He had to talk to Chiron.

"Grover?" Percy was worried. He wasn't taken in by Grover's attempt at reassuring him but was instead given even more proof that the boy was troubled. "What's wrong bud?"

The boy in question was opening his mouth to verbally assure that he was fine when the substitute got their attention.

"Hmmm… Mr. Jackson, was it?" The perky woman began as she approached the two boys sitting in the back. "Well… since you seem to be ignoring my lecture, why don't you go ahead and answer the question on the board." She gave him a smile, as if she was willing to let the interruption slide if Percy could answer correctly but Percy could see he was in for it if he got it wrong. "Don't worry. It's very easy!"

Percy looked at his friend who mouthed a sorry. Shaking of the silent apology, Percy stood with a grimace and walked to the board. Might as well get this over with.

Nancy was sniggering as Percy walked to the board. She knew the answer to the question, it was a simple equation that even she, with her C- in math, could solve with enough time. Percy was an idiot though who couldn't even read correctly. He was sure to get in trouble today!

Percy looked at the numbers and variables on the board. Math was usually no trouble for him. He could even say it was his best subject, though considering the dismal state of his other grades, his best wasn't much to talk about. Still, math was easy… until they involved letters.

He hated it. Math was so simple when all you had to do was put the numbers together or subtract a number from another but they had to add letters and make him miserable. What even was this? There was a 2 and an x inside a parenthesis and there was a small number three outside it. There weren't even any signs like plus, minus or divide. There was only the string of letters, symbols and numbers and then a plus. What was he even supposed to do?

Okay, calm down Percy. He took a deep breath and looked at the equation carefully. Trying to remember the homework he did – since the equation was similar to that except there wasn't the tiny number – and looking at the other examples Mrs. Kerr did on the board, he tried to think of the correct answer.

Percy tried to remember all the rules he was supposed to know and all the principles he needed when the answer came to him, clear as day. It was like a switch flipped and then he suddenly knew how to solve the question and after a few moments of mentally doing calculations, he put the answer on the board.

He wrote down his answer, thankful that he was given such a simple question. Looking to Mrs. Kerr for confirmation of an answer, he breathed a sigh of relief when she nodded approvingly. Giving the kind woman a smile, thankful that she was such a sweetheart unlike their previous teacher, he walked back to his seat.

"Don't be so happy Prissy! That question was so easy even a baby could do it!" Nancy hollered from her seat, fuming that the idiot had even gotten it correctly. She turned to Mrs. Kerr when the woman clapped her hands to get things under control. The kind teacher smiled at Nancy but the girl just glared at the woman. It was all her fault. If Mrs. Dodds were here, Percy would already be having detention! Instead he got off scot free just because this woman was such a wuss.

"Now, now Mrs. Bobofit…" Mrs. Kerr said, her sweet smile never faltering even under the girl's glare. She actually found it cute how such a little girl thought she could threaten her. "Why don't you answer the next question if you think Mr. Jackson got off easy."

The bad-tempered girl hmphed in rebelliousness but stood up anyway when Mrs. Kerr just looked at her with a smile on her face, though it seemed a little forced. Walking up to the board, Nancy grabbed the marker and was about to answer the question when she froze and her jaw dropped.

If Percy got such an easy question that even a baby could do it, in her words anyway, the question she received was something even rocket scientists would have trouble with, in her opinion at least. The equation was long, with several operations involved and large exponents. She doubted she could answer this even in an hour.

Nancy turned a questioning look to the teacher who only smiled brightly at her actions. "Well…" Mrs. Kerr gestured to the equation. "Go ahead! A smart girl like you should be able to answer this correctly!" She leaned in close until she was face to face with the girl and gave Nancy a sweet smile, though instead of reassuring the girl she seemed frightened more than anything else. There was something in her eyes that frightened her, even though the woman seemed bubbly and friendly.

Nancy turned back to the board, trying to avoid the perky demoness that replaced her sweet old Mrs. Dodds. Softly whimpering, she started solving the question, her calculations filling up the remaining space on the board unlike Percy who did his calculations mentally.

Percy and the rest of the class watched the confrontation silently. Don't be confused, despite the lack of any obvious jabs and flaring tempers, what happened was a confrontation between an errant student and the new teacher on the block. Even without any action, the class was on the edge of their seats in anticipation, watching who would come out on top.

When Nancy was declared the loser in spectacular fashion, the class looked at Mrs. Kerr with newfound respect. This wasn't one of those substitutes that had no idea what they were doing. No, this was a true master in the art of keeping rude students in line.

"Now, what is everyone staring around for?" Mrs. Kerr clapped her hands with a smile, getting the attention of the rest of the students. "Please try and answer the equation Mrs. Bobofit is currently on. We'll compare later, okay?" She finished with a girlish tone but it made the students scramble for their pens and paper. They definitely didn't want to get on this woman's bad side, though she was a hundred times better than Mrs. Dodds if she can keep Nancy and her clique in line.

Percy and Grover were focused on the work at hand. Even though she wasn't too hard on Percy, he didn't want to push his luck and get Mrs. Kerr's attention once more. Despite their attempts, the woman walked towards the back and to Percy and Grover's seats.

"Are you alright, Mr. Underwood was it?" She asked laying a gentle hand on Grover's shoulder. She actually noticed him earlier because he looked ill like he was having a panic attack. All the signs were there: the short breath, the paleness of his skin, the gnawing and the cold sweat. The concerned teacher actually felt the dampness of his shirt on the hand laying on his shoulder.

"I'm fine, ma'am."

She gave him an unbelieving look and raised a hand to put to his forehead. The boy flinched but allowed the woman to rest his hand on his head though he was sure that it'd only be there. He was worried she'd accidentally feel his horns.

"You feel alright…" She began as she felt his temperature. He was fine, though a bit clammy. "Are you sure though? You don't look so good…"

Grover tried for another smile and this time, it didn't look forced or like a grimace. He was actually a bit happy that the teacher noticed about him and cared for his wellbeing. This was what teachers were supposed to be like, not like Mrs. Dodds, though he kinda understood why she was like that being a fury and all.

"I'm fine, ma'am. Nothing to worry about." He repeated himself. After thinking about it for a bit, he didn't actually need to report to Mr. Brunner immediately, though he still would as soon as possible. Mr. Brunner was a teacher as well and he probably already knew that Mrs. Dodds took some time off. "Thank you for worrying."

"Okay…" She said reluctantly turning away from the boy. "But don't hesitate to tell me if you aren't feeling well." It was actually the reason Percy got off lightly. She wasn't so cold-hearted a person that she'd punish someone who was just worried for their friend.

"Yes ma'am." Grover game her a grin and a thumbs up, making the woman smile at him before returning to the front of the classroom. Nancy still hadn't finished.

"She's nice…" Percy said from beside Grover, careful not to draw the attention of Mrs. Kerr. She might be nice but the memory of her putting Nancy in her place was still fresh in his mind. He definitely didn't want to get on her bad side.

"Yeah…" Grover said absentmindedly as he turned back to his work. "Though she kinda destroyed Nancy earlier, huh?"

"That was epic." Percy shot his friend a grin. "It's great to finally have a teacher that can keep her in line."

Grover nodded as he started solving the equation. The two friends' conversation died down as they solved the problem in earnest. Percy had a newfound interest in his studies and Grover didn't want to ruin it by chatting in class.

'Though Algebra really does suck…' Grover thought to himself as he tore off a bit of scratch paper for a particularly difficult calculation. 'I've been doing this for years every time I've gone undercover and it's still awful.'

"Mr. Bell, do you want to take the next question?" A voice called out sweetly, distracting Percy and Grover from their papers. Looking up, they noticed that Mrs. Kerr had her attention on someone in the front of the class, Bell probably. Percy just spotted the scribbles and doodles on the poor guy's notebook.

From a whole classroom away, Percy heard a gulp then Bell's trembling voice. "No ma'am…"

Mrs. Kerr let out a giggle. "You don't really have a choice mister… now please go up to the board and start on the next question."

Standing up dejectedly, the unfortunate boy took his place next to Nancy. Lucky for him, the equation wasn't nearly as long as the defeated bully's.

"Anyone else want to go?" Mrs. Kerr asked as all the students were looking at her and stopped working. A bunch of shaking heads were all the answer she needed.

"Scary…" One brave soul whispered under their breath.

"Oh, we have a volunteer!" Mrs. Kerr said perkily as she walked in the direction of the voice. Percy sweatdropped and hurriedly turned to his own paper. He definitely didn't want to get on her bad side.

* * *

A school week passed in a blur and now it was Saturday once more. Percy had found a new routine that helped him get through the grind that was school.

He'd wake up at the break of dawn, usually because of his dreams, and go out to the tracks to meet Ted for a run. They'd go running for maybe an hour before going to one of the sports fields. Ted would then spend another hour teaching him some sport, whether they be rules or some moves.

After his vigorous early morning activities, Percy would take a shower around the time Grover was waking up. Then together they'd go for breakfast in their uniforms. They always made sure to go to Mama Rida for some extra. Usually the two found empty tables but sometimes they would sit with Ted and his friends.

Jane didn't talk much when Percy was around. Whether this was because she really wasn't a talkative person or because she was still embarrassed because of their first official meeting, Percy didn't know.

After breakfast, classes started. Usually, Percy didn't pay much attention in class but recently he'd started getting interested. He didn't know why but as time seemed to pass, the lessons seemed to become easier. His old grades were mostly Cs but Percy was confident he'd get a higher grade this term. Maybe there'd even be an A. Percy hadn't gotten an A before.

At night, Percy would take maybe two hours to do his homework and study. This way, he wouldn't get swamped like what happened last weekend. Maybe this week, he'd be able to spend an entire day training with Ted. The older boy had been talking about getting some guys together for a game of basketball and Percy was invited.

The rest of the night, Percy borrowed Grover's phone and listened to some music. He hadn't forgotten his deal with Astra. She wouldn't force her guitar on him but when he got his own he'd have to play for her. Percy used the opportunity to discover his music tastes.

He wasn't particularly fond of music – he didn't have an opportunity to listen much – but he'd had fun learning guitar and he found a newfound appreciation for it. He started with the more popular pop songs but quickly found he didn't have a taste for it. Though there were a couple of artists that Percy found really interesting, he couldn't really get behind it. He would have to try some other things. The songs Juliet taught him were different. They had something that spoke to Percy, like the composers bared their souls in their music.

For now, Percy put all those things out of his mind as he listened to Mr. Brunner. He was standing in a line with a couple of his classmates. It was their first ever sword training session.

He expected more to show up, there were about fifteen of them, but it looks like the waiver Astra was talking about limited the competition. Understandable since not every parent wanted their kids to know how to swing a weapon around, though he didn't know why Nancy was here. If anyone should be kept from any kind of weapon, it was her.

"Swordplay is not a game." Mr. Brunner explained as he wheeled his chair from one side of the line to the other like a disabled drill sergeant tasked with training a bunch of kids to war. "You could get hurt if, like Ms. Bobofit, you don't pay attention." He said seriously, making Nancy who was sniggering at something snap to attention.

"We're going to be using wooden swords for training," He gestured to a rack full of well-made, leaf-shaped swords carved from some type of wood. "but still, be careful. They might be wood but they could still hurt. These were made from hickory trees and crafted by professionals. They are not toys." He said sternly at some boys who were getting excited by the prospect, making them nod in understanding. Mr. Brunner was a nice guy, but sometimes there was this air about him that made you want to listen.

"Mr. Brunner?" Percy asked, raising his hand. He was reluctant to interrupt since Mr. Brunner was in full swing in his opening remarks but fortunately, the man simply nodded at him to continue. "You said we'd be using wooden swords for training. Does that mean we'll be using something else for the actual tournament?"

Mr. Brunner grimaced, but nodded in a defeated way. "Unfortunately. Against my better judgment, Principal Black has already ordered a dozen steel swords from a forge here in New York. Where she found a working forge in this city I don't know, but nevertheless, we'll be using real swords, albeit blunt of course, for the final stages of the tourney."

At this the other participants chattered around excitedly. They couldn't believe they'd be using real, metal swords! Percy though was appalled. What was Astra thinking? Someone could get hurt, and some of his classmates weren't responsible enough to even participate!

Mr. Brunner cleared his throat to get the students' attention. It took a few tries but eventually the chattering died down and silence once more fell in the gymnasium they were using.

"Now, the Hickory swords are lightweight, but the steel swords will be a bit heavier so you must compensate by then." He said looking at the students lined up in front of him. "The training swords will be kept by me…" At this the gathered students groaned. "but you'll be able to borrow them as long as you ask me for permission." He finished making the groaning stop and cheers sound. "Though don't be surprised if I say no. The possession of these items is a privilege, not a right. Depending on what I see of you, both in training and outside it, I have the authority to disqualify you from the tournament."

Percy nodded in agreement. Mr. Brunner was a good person and Percy trusted him to do the right thing but it seemed some in the class weren't in agreement.

"That's not fair!" It was Nancy, as expected. "Why do you get that power?!" To Percy's annoyance, some of the others nodded in agreement. "You're just a guy in a wheelchair!"

"Principal Black has deferred to my judgement." Mr. Brunner said a bit of steel in his voice. "And regardless of me being 'just a guy in a wheelchair'…" he said making air quotes, "I am a teacher." He said making the students take a step back at the sudden anger in his voice. "It is my greatest pride: to teach the young and helpless so that they could grow into the formidable adults they have the potential to be. I assure you," Mr. Brunner's hard eyes shifted to each and every one of them, pausing a moment at Percy, before ending with Nancy. He stared deeply into her eyes with a hardness that made her shiver. "I am perfectly capable of teaching you. Please respect at least that."

Although Mr. Brunner's words were pleading his tone of voice was anything but. He wasn't asking. He as demanding. The idiots that Percy was stuck with hurt his pride and now he wasn't going to go easy on them. Percy could tell since he was the same. Hurt something he cared about and he'd go all apeshit crazy on you and it was obvious that there were few things that Mr. Brunner cared about more than his pride at his calling.

"Now!" Mr. Brunner called out breaking eye-contact with Nancy. "For those of you who don't believe me…" the man wheeled to the rack of training swords and gingerly picked one at random. "Let me show you what I mean… Ms. Bobofit!"

Nancy snapped to attention.

"Take one of these blades and take a position directly opposite me." He said calmly even though his eyes were lacking any of the warmth Percy usually found in them. "Let me show you what I mean."

The girl looked surprised for a moment but it soon faded into a look of glee. She didn't really hate Mr. Brunner. Nancy actually thought he was a decent man. What he didn't like about him, however, was the fact that he often talked down to her and that he seemed to favor Percy and Grover a lot. Well, now she had a chance to take her frustrations out on him and she wouldn't even be in trouble! It was all his idea anyway, so no one could blame her if he got hurt, though she wouldn't actually try to hurt him. Accidents happen, right?

She rushed to the racks and started inspecting a few blades. Not having the experience to know which blade the best was, she took one at random and started swinging the sword around. She grinned at her choice and walked towards the waiting Mr. Brunner and standing opposite him.

"Are you ready, Ms. Bobofit?" Mr. Brunner asked making the girl nod in affirmative. "Then let us begin at the count of three." He looked at the rest of the students still lined up. They were almost trembling in excitement, thrilled to watch a real swordfight. "I will be showing you what the fights will be like in the coming tournament."

Mr. Brunner looked Percy directly and ushered him over. "Mr. Jackson… Percy… will you referee. All you need to do is start us off and end the match when someone forfeits, disarmed or are hit solidly."

"Uh… sure, Mr. Brunner." Percy said as he took a place at the sidelines, right in the middle of the two combatants. "Okay… this match is an… exhibition match…" He said looking to Mr. Brunner for confirmation. The teacher nodded at him. Percy was right, this match was to exhibit his skill and make the students respect his ability to teach them the way of the sword.

"Between Nancy…" He gestured to Nancy who scowled at him threateningly. "And Mr. Brunner." Mr. Brunner smiled at him, assured that he would win. He should, he'd been fighting and teaching for a _long_ time. "On the count of three… one… two… three, begin!" Percy slashed his hand downwards and jumped back as Nancy sprang.

The girl pounced forward, pressing her advantage of being more mobile than the wheelchair-bound man. She wanted to end this quickly so that they could get started on some real training with a real teacher. Maybe Mrs. Dodds will be back soon.

"Hya!" She cried out as she swung her sword. The other participants still in line who were watching the match cheered. Her swing was quite fast and they were almost sure Mr. Brunner would get hit and the match would be over.

Percy didn't see it that way. He noticed Nancy's stance as she swung the sword. Her base was weak, her grip was all wrong, her arm overextended and her swing had no bite to it. It was all speed and no force. Percy doubted it would even bother him.

He was right. Mr. Brunner didn't even bother to bring his sword up. In a surprising display, Mr. Brunner's wheelchair jerked forward suddenly, surprising the girl mid-slash. The older man used his wheelchair to great use, leaning inside the girl's nonexistent guard and bumping into her and letting the backrest take the hit.

"Ah!" Nancy screamed as the teacher bumped into her. The wheels of the chair bumped into her knees and she was sent sprawling to the floor, her sword joining her as it hit the wooden flooring with a dull thud. She lost her grip due to the impact of the blade with the wheelchair. Mr. Brunner them simply placed his blade between the girl's eyes, now leaning back comfortably in his wheelchair.

"Yield, Ms. Bobofit?" Mr. Brunner asked calmly as he smiled down at her.

Although he probably didn't mean it, the smile came of as condescending to the girl. Even though she was looking up the blade at the man in one of the most submissive postures she'd ever been in, her glare would have burned a hole through his head if it could.

"You cheater! You bumped your wheelchair into me! That's cheating! That wasn't swordplay!" She whined petulantly like she was on the verge of a tantrum.

Mr. Brunner wasn't affected at all. "You questioned my ability to teach you because I am in a wheelchair. I beat you because I'm in a wheelchair and you accuse me of cheating." He chuckled, amused at the girl at his mercy. "Quite fickle, is she not, Mr. Jackson."

Percy, who was suddenly dragged into the conversation, grinned at Mr. Brunner. He was amazed at the movement and temperament he had just seen. He was sure the other students didn't see, being so far away from the action, but he sure saw. Mr. Brunner wasn't nervous at all and he was calmly waiting for Nancy to reach him. If he didn't move at just the right moment, he would have received a stinging cheek and a wounded pride for his efforts.

"Most women are sir." He replied with a smirk sent at the downed girl.

"Oh…" Mr. Brunner gave him his own teasing grin. "Speaking from experience, Mr. Jackson… I'm sure Prin-"

Percy coughed loudly and repeatedly, trying to drown out Mr. Brunner's words. He so didn't want to get outed as Astra's… _something_ … because of this. That would just be stupid.

Mr. Brunner seemed to have received the message and shut up, though there was an amused twinkle in his eye that made Percy nervous. Great, another one. Grover was bad enough.

"Alright!" Mr. Brunner turned to the rest of the class, gesturing to the Percy and Nancy to get back in line. Once the two had returned, Percy a bit annoyed at Mr. Brunner for being one of _them_ and Nancy fuming at being cheated, he asked what the class thought of the match.

"Nancy was right! Isn't using your wheelchair cheating?" A boy asked rudely though there didn't seem to be any malice into the question. He was just genuinely curious.

"Ah… no, my dear boy. What were the rules of this match?" Mr. Brunner asked them. When no one answered, either because they didn't know or simply because they didn't want to speak up, Mr. Brunner continued. "Exactly! We didn't put down any rules. That means that anything goes, obviously. Of course, rules will be carefully monitored during the tournament, but for today the only win condition was…" He turned to Percy expectantly.

"When someone forfeits, is disarmed, or hit with a solid strike." Percy answered promptly, remembering what the teacher told him earlier. "That means that Mr. Brunner both disarmed and hit, or as good as hit, Nancy, he was the winner." He nodded as if that made perfect sense.

"Thank you, captain, obvious!" Someone shouted from farther down the line and the whole group laughed, Mr. Brunner included.

"Hey!" Percy called back indignantly which only made the others laugh even more, though Nancy was still fuming the entire time.

"Alright. Now, are there any more questions before we get started? Or do any of you want to have a match with me as well?" Mr. Brunner asked the group. When no one said anything, he nodded to the rack. "Now, take a sword. We'll be starting with the proper grip and stance for today." He said as he watched the students take their swords. "There are several different grips and stances. We'll begin with the…"

* * *

An hour had passed since the training began. Percy was enjoying himself immensely. It seemed he had talent when it came to swinging around a stick.

Nothing of note happened during the hour except for one kid who asked Mr. Brunner a question at the start of the match.

"Sir?" It was a girl. She was one of the quieter girls in class and Percy was surprised that she was here. "Why did you show us this grip? I know some fencing and…" As the girl explained how her fencing teacher taught her a different grip and stance, Percy realized why she was here. The girl knew a lot, and I mean a _lot_ about fencing. She went on and on about center of gravity, blade balance and a whole bunch of other stuff that went over Percy's head.

"Ah… we have a fencer in the group." Mr. Brunner said as he smiled fondly at the girl. She suddenly blushed as she realized she had been ranting and was the center of attention. "Well… Ms…"

"Kobayashi. Maria Kobayashi." She supplied, making Percy give her a closer look. It wasn't all that noticeable, she was probably a half who looked less Japanese and more like her other race. She actually looked pretty cute with her pale white skin, dark hair in a high ponytail and warm brown eyes.

"Ah… so not fencing but Kenjutsu." Mr. Brunner corrected himself and the girl nodded in confirmation. "Well Kobayashi-san, is that correct?" The girl nodded again with a smile. "the tournament was conceptualized because our esteemed Principal," Percy snorted at that. The Astra he knew was more like a kid. "thought it was a good idea to hold our own Olympics after the field trip to the Greco-Roman exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art." He explained calmly to the girl. "So, I will be teaching Greek style swordplay. The Japanese Kendo style and the Greek style have come from different sides of the world so there is sure to be differences. Nevertheless, I assure you that the style I am teaching is as good as the one you are used to."

The girl, Maria, nodded. "Alright sir, but I have another question." Mr. Brunner nodded at her to go ahead. "I still want to participate in the training, but can I use my shinai in the tournament?"

Mr. Brunner rubbed his beard, as if he was deep in thought. "Shinai is the bamboo sword, yes?" He asked making the girl nod in affirmative. "I'm sorry, but remember, we'll be using blunted steel swords in the tournament. I don't think a bamboo sword will last."

"I have a bokken at home." Maria said. It seemed she really wanted to try her kenjutsu against Greek swordplay. "It's really well made. Twice as hard as these." She hefted up the hickory sword. "Maybe if I use that?"

Mr. Brunner looked at her and the determination in her eyes and sighed. "Maybe. Let me examine this bokken sometime next week and I'll decide by then. Besides, I'm sure Principal Black will love the variety." He glanced at Percy, the resident Astra expert, who nodded.

It was true. Judging by the way she gushed about Soma, Astra liked things that came from Japan. She'd probably be ecstatic if Maria was any good and she could see one of her students doing Kendo right in front of her.

Right now, Percy was getting a taste of that eastern-style swordplay. Mr. Brunner paired them off after teaching them a few moves. They were tasked to practice the basic strike, a diagonal slash coming from the shoulder, and parrying with the angled blade.

He was paired with Maria and the girl was seriously good. She had good stability and form. Essentially, her basics were spot on. Problem was, the kenjutsu she practiced sometimes seeped into the Greek style they were training in which caused Percy some surprise.

Maria was having some trouble with him too. Somewhat similar to Maria's graceful hits, his were fluid like flowing water. When she tried to parry his hits by angling her sword like Mr. Brunner showed them, Percy's blade simply slid off and magically moved to an open spot where he could simply stab her with the end. She was seriously starting to get annoyed because she was doing the parry right – this was their second pair up and her defenses were solid against the other guy – but Percy's sword always managed to slip by.

It got to the point where, even without meaning to, Percy's slash flowed right past her guard and struck her on the arm.

Mr. Brunner wheeled towards them when the sounds of pain reached his ears. He had been constantly moving since the beginning of the session since the other kids were hardly prodigies, but it was the first time he'd managed to find an excuse to go to Percy. That was his main objective here. Give Percy some training.

He didn't know if he was lucky or unlucky because Percy had picked up his teachings with unbelievable speed. Mr. Brunner had been watching him at the beginning, hoping for a chance to get some time with the boy to train him personally, but within the first fifteen minutes, Percy had already gotten the motions down pat.

The shuffle of the pairs was in an attempt to get Percy a less talented partner but of all people he had to be paired up with, he'd gotten the one with the most practice in swordplay.

That was why the teacher pounced at the chance to go to his most talented pair of students, just so he could somehow get Percy to agree to some kind of extra sessions.

"What happened?" Mr. Brunner asked once he got close to the pair.

"I don't know! The sword just…" Percy replied frantically, having trouble finding a way to explain what happened. He didn't mean to do anything. He was just doing what Mr. Brunner taught them and now, he hurt someone. A girl even! The moment she cried out in pain, Percy rushed to her side and tried to find out what was wrong.

"It's fine, Percy. I'm alright." Maria sent the frantic boy a reassuring smile. "You didn't hit me that hard. Besides, I don't think it was your fault." She said looking at the sword Percy dropped in his panic. "Something's weird though. Since a while ago, your sword was like… I don't know? I just couldn't parry it right."

"What do you mean?" Mr. Brunner asked as he reached out to examine the girl's injured arm. Good. It was nothing but a small welt. It wouldn't even leave a bruise.

"It was like the sword was really slippery." Maria explained as she took her arm back from the man. She had received worse hits during her own training and knew that it was nothing. "Best I could describe it was like if you cracked an egg and a tiny shell was in the egg whites. You try to pick it up and even if you know you've got it, when you lift it out, it turns out it hadn't moved at all. Does that make sense? I manage to parry his blade like normal, but only for a moment, before it kind of… slips?"

Mr. Brunner was listening attentively to the girl while she spoke, trying to pick out some kind of clue of the boy's parentage from her words. He looked to Percy at the end of her little spiel and saw him nod.

"Yeah… like she parries my sword but then it ends up in an open spot!" Percy exclaimed. "It was a bit weird. That happened with the other guy too." He said talking about his previous partner. "I thought I was doing something wrong."

"Well now…" Mr. Brunner said, stroking his beard. "May I see?" He asked. Maybe this was it. The final clue to finding out the boy's father. He had always had a guess but the scent was muddled, like it was shifting between two distinct smells which confused him. "Are you up for it, Kobayashi-san?"

"Yes. Please." Maria said, bowing to the man at the waist. "I was also wondering if I was somehow doing it wrong. Please correct us, sensei!"

"Are you sure, Kobayashi-san?" Percy asked, stumbling at the name but successfully copying Mr. Brunner's form of address. He didn't know anything about Japanese speech but if Mr. Brunner was doing it right…

"Please, Percy. Call me Maria." Maria said to him with a smile. "Kobayashi might be a bit hard for Americans to say."

"Alright then. Maria." Percy said, feeling the word out. It was definitely easier than saying Kobayashi. The girl flushed at hearing her name, which Percy found a bit weird. She was the one who told her to call her that. "Are you sure. I think I hit you pretty hard. Percy reached for her arm and held it up so he could see the welt he made clearly.

Maria flushed a bit more at his actions. She wasn't expecting herself to react that much at him saying her first name, but she did, somehow. Now that she was looking at him clearly without trying to defend herself from his hits, she actually noticed how good looking he was with his dark-hair and sea-green eyes. There were definitely none of those striking orbs back in Japan.

"I'm fine, Percy." She said, taking back her arm and putting it behind her back. She started rubbing the place she touched with her other arm, feeling the remnants of his warm touch. "Please, let's continue."

"Well… if you say so…" Percy said as he brought out his own sword. Maria readied hers and they restarted their drills.

As Percy swung his sword in the diagonal slash Mr. Brunner taught him, Maria's own blade intercepted at the perfect angle.

Mr. Brunner expected the Percy's sword to just harmlessly bounce off. Maria's parry was perfectly placed and timed to absorb the force and defend, but contrary to what he expected, Percy's changed direction and hit the base of Maria's sword.

Suddenly, as if by instinct, Percy twisted.

A loud thud reverberated around the room as Maria's sword went flying out of her hands and hit the floor a good five feet away from the sparring duo.

Mr. Brunner's eyes widened in surprise. That was a high-level disarming move. It was a nigh impossible to change directions mid-swing if someone was swinging a blade at full speed. That was what Percy did. Usually, a parried swing harmlessly bounced off the intercepting blade, locked with it, or slid down the tip. Percy's blade looked like it changed direction but it wasn't so. He just did a feint so believable that even Mr. Brunner fell for it. And it looked like the boy didn't even know what he was doing!

Even in camp, there was only one swordsman who could do that and it was Luke, widely regarded as the best swordsman Camp Half-Blood had seen in ten years.

Percy did the same maneuver on the same day he picked up a sword. He was sure that it was. Mr. Brunner was watching the boy closely in the beginning and in the first few minutes, Percy was a total beginner. Even the eight-year old campers could have probably defeated him.

Now, the boy was doing techniques that even the oldest campers couldn't do.

"Um… what just happened?" Percy asked as the gym slid to a halt. The flying blade caught everyone's attention and stopped all the practicing that was going on. The loud thuds of wood meeting wood had given way to a resounding silence as people stared at the trio of the armed Percy, the disarmed Maria and the wide-eyed Mr. Brunner.

The silence was broken by a loud _thwap_.

"Ow! That hurt Nancy!" One of the few girls shouted as she rubbed her shoulder where Nancy presumable hit her.

"It was your fault! You weren't paying attention!" Nancy yelled back as she moved to take another swing.

Her partner wasn't having any of it as she dropped her sword and leapt to the side, dodging the strike.

Giving a tired sigh, Mr. Brunner said one last thing to Percy before heading over and diffusing the ongoing tussle. "We'll talk about this later, Percy. Kobayashi-san, will you still be willing to practice with him?"

Maria nodded determinedly. She wasn't going to lose to something like this. It was only something to work harder towards. She turned to pick up her sword before facing Percy once again in a ready position.

Mr. Brunner gave her his thanks before wheeling off in the direction of the kleptomaniac, violent girl known as Nancy Bobofit.

* * *

It took Percy a few hours more than he'd have liked but eventually he'd managed to convince Maria to stop practicing with him. The training session had ended a while ago but Maria pestered and prodded him into a few more sets. A few more turned into several, and then before he knew it, two hours had passed.

He didn't even realize that he'd missed lunch until his stomach growled in hunger.

Maria was adamant in her desire to beat him. He guessed she didn't appreciated being disarmed by a newbie. They're practice sets eventually turned into a full on sparring session, with Percy using his surprising aptitude for Greek style swordplay and Maria using her Kenjutsu style with the leaf-shaped swords they were given.

Her moves translated well, even though she was using a vastly different sword than what she was used to, but Percy had this prodigious skill with his blade. Maria had soundly beaten him during their first few bouts but at near the end of the session, they were evenly matched, with Percy almost always ending up the winner.

Maria was unperturbed though. Even with her loss she wasn't discouraged and instead made Percy promise to keep practicing with her when he had time. He made the promise just to make her dismiss him. He was getting tired and hungry after all.

Promise made, the two went their separate ways. Maria had gone back in the direction of the girl's dorms while Percy went to the cafeteria. Hopefully, Mama Rida would be there and he'd manage to scrounge up a late lunch.

He was lucky enough to encounter the nice lunch lady who gave him a plate of leftovers from lunch. It was a few hours after the designated lunch time so the food was cold but Percy didn't really care. As long as he got to eat he was happy.

With his belly filled and hunger satisfied, Percy headed to Mr. Brunner's office. The man had told him to see him later as they hadn't had a chance to talk during the training because the other kids needed far more help than he did.

It seemed the man was as interested as Percy was in his newfound skill, maybe even more so.

Percy was close to the door when he heard two people talking. He usually wouldn't eavesdrop like this but considering who the people was, and their topic of conversation, he couldn't help but be interested. Pressing his ear to the door, he tried to listen in. Too bad for him, he only caught the tail end of the conversation.

"If that is all, Grover. I'm sure Mrs. Dodds being absent is nothing and if ever, I'll handle any of the fallout." Mr. Brunner's voice muffled voice said from behind the door.

"If you're sure, sir." The similarly muffled voice of his friend Grover replied. "And I'll be sure to tell you if anything happens with…"

Percy heard the squeaky sound of Mr. Brunner's wheelchair approach the door and he scrambled away. He didn't hear Grover finish.

The door opened revealing Mr. Brunner holding the door open for his friend. Percy tried to look innocent about the whole thing, acting like he hadn't been eavesdropping.

"Oh, Percy. You're here." Mr. Brunner said as he noticed the boy standing awkwardly in the hall. "Please, come in. I was just telling Grover the news of his… uncle…" He finished making Percy even more curious.

"Hey man." Grover said as he clapped Percy on the shoulder. "I see you've got some business with Mr. Brunner. I'll see you in the room later, 'kay?"

"No… I need to go to the library for that history assignment…" Percy said to his friend. "Can I rely on your help again?"

"Sure. Just come get me. I'll be taking a nap." Grover said as he started walking away. "And Mr. Brunner, I'll be doing what you said. Say hi him for me, alright?" He said trying to sell what Mr. Brunner said about his uncle while at the same time confirming his instructions.

"Will do, Grover. I'll see you next week." Mr. Brunner his farewells to Grover and turned to his other student. "Now, Percy. Come in. We have a lot to talk about."

Percy nodded and entered the room. This was the first time he'd actually gone inside Mr. Brunner's office and he couldn't help but compare it to Astra's.

It was smaller than the principal's, though that was to be expected. Its size didn't take anything away from the room though as there was a large window in view of the medium-sized desk Mr. Brunner used. On the desk were papers, waiting to be graded. Percy wondered if his own paper was there and what grade he received. He usually wasn't all that concerned with his grades, he always thought it was just a number, but ever since his date with Astra, he'd been trying harder and he wanted to know if he was making progress. Resting above the desk on the wall was the bronze sword Mr. Brunner had used in class.

In one corner of the room was a set of comfortable looking couches and armchairs. They were nothing compared to the luxurious sets Astra had but they looked warm and cozy enough. A coffee table was placed in the middle of the seating area with things like magazines on top.

There was a large bookshelf pushed to one side of the wall filled with all sorts of old dusty tomes. Some were in English but most of the titles were written in Greek and Latin. To Percy's surprise, he could read the unfamiliar letters, just like what happened to him in the Greek and Roman exhibit.

Next to the bookshelf was a small table with one of those things that play vinyl. A gramophone, Percy thought after thinking for the proper term. It was currently playing some jazz song, loud enough to be heard but not enough to disrupt conversation. Percy actually liked the song and promised himself to ask the man about more of his music tastes. Maybe he'd like classic jazz more than the modern pop he'd already tried.

"Please, Percy. Take a seat." Mr. Brunner said as he gestured to the couch, breaking Percy out of his examination of his office. "Do you want some coffee? Or maybe some tea?"

"Some tea, please." Percy said. He had just finished lunch and he wasn't sure if the coffee would upset him, but maybe some tea would help aid in the digestion process.

Mr. Brunner took a pot and some teacups from a small kitchenette Percy hadn't noticed earlier before wheeling towards the seating area and placing his haul on the coffee table.

"Sugar? Milk?" He was asked, as to which he just asked for some sugar.

"There. Now…" Mr. Brunner said as he handed him a cuppa. "I have a proposition for you…" The man looked Percy in the eye as he spoke. "To be honest Percy, you have a talent for swordplay." He said making Percy smile in pride. "I have taught hundreds of youngsters how to use the sword and you are easily among the ones with the most potential. I don't want that potential to go to waste." The man paused, like he was trying to formulate the write phrasing for his next words. "I… have… a summer camp. I want you to go this summer." Seeing Percy open his mouth to say something, Mr. Brunner interjected. "Hear me out. Aside from the sword training, there are other activities as well. We have a very good music program. Grover told me you were taking an interest in music. Our kids are very talented will all sorts of instruments. There's also archery, canoeing, arts and crafts…"

Percy was thinking about Mr. Brunner's offer as the man kept on giving him a sales pitch. To be honest, he was interested in this camp Mr. Brunner was talking about. It sounded like fun and the man was right, he was talented with the sword. It was actually one of the few things Percy had, aside from swimming and being a cheeky shit that he thought he was good at.

But there were some things that prevented him from going. His mom, for one. He almost never had any time to spend with her, with him always going to boarding school. Summer was one of the few chances he had.

"How about it Percy?" Mr. Brunner asked.

"I would like to sir. Really, I would… but…" Before Percy could refuse Mr. Brunner's offer, the man began talking again.

"Please. Think about it. I'll give you until the end of the term." He looked at him with kind eyes. "Talk to your mom. See what she thinks before giving me an answer." At Percy's nod the man smiled. The boy needed to get to camp soon and hopefully, Sally Jackson knows that as well. With Percy wanting to go to camp himself, maybe the woman would relent.

Mr. Brunner was just going to offer Percy some extra training, maybe the afternoons after their normal sessions but Grover's report changed things. The boy was improving by himself. He had noticed an increase in his Latin grades and when he asked around the faculty room, his other grades were also improving.

Now, Grover had just told him that Percy had been scouted by the resident sports prodigy. The training he'd undergo under Ted Robins would be enough to get his already impressive physical abilities to camp standards. His job had just gotten easier because now, he could focus more on the actual hero training instead of having to grind away at the grueling endurance and muscle training.

The mind and the body were already covered. Now, he'd just have to teach Percy all about the soul of being a hero. And, if all things went to plan, he'd have all summer to mold Percy into the elite of heroes, standing alongside the first Perseus and Heracles at the summit of the great heroes of old.

* * *

A.N.

So... Percy grows into his potential. If anyone is wondering, the abilities of the gamer have already started, though he won't actually notice until he gets to camp. This is an anomaly in the system that Chaos wasn't expecting. Remember in the previous chapter "Contact with the Creator" where Chaos was surprised that he'd already unlocked _it_ a few months ahead of time? And the reward he'd give for surprising him. That was the activation of the gamer, though not all features were unlocked. The main interface hasn't even showed up yet. Think of reaching camp as Percy's starting point, where the game will begin in full swing.

Now, some justifications for the number of OCs this story is starting to have. I plan to make Yancy a major location where Percy will spend his school years. I won't gloss over that period and focus on the summer months because I have a lot of planned story arcs happening in Yancy and during the school year. Problem is, Yancy Academy has almost no information in canon. There were only a few characters I can think of Percy, Nancy, Grover, Mr. Brunner, Mrs. Dodds, and Mrs. Kerr introduced in the school so I had to add my own. I hope you like the ones I've already put in. Ted will be more like a sports nut and big brother to Percy while I have some plans for Maria.

I'm don't know if you guys noticed, (I'm sure some of you have) but I've been laying down references and crossovers all over this story and they will be used to drive the plot forward. Do you want me to just announce all the other series I have in mind to use in this story or should I keep it a surprise?

Also, I changed the summary. I don't think the previous summary did justice to the story since the plot kinda grew since I first started out all those months ago. Let me know what you think of the new summary, okay?

Anyway, this author's note is starting to get a little long so I'll just say bye here.

Thanks to all who reviewed this story. Hope you continue to like my work and will continue to read and review! Bye!


	8. Hey! Call me Luke

Percy Jackson and Andromeda's Lament

Chapter 7: Hey! Call Me Luke

Pain was something Grover tended to avoid at all costs. Don't get him wrong though, he can take it if he needed to, but like most normal people, he avoided it like the plague. Pain wasn't something fun nor pleasant, at least to Grover's perceptions.

That was why he was thinking that something might be wrong with his friend.

The boy who had his crutches laying horizontally on his lap winced as he watched his best friend Percy be reduced to a stain on the grass he was playing in. He watched, worry etched on his face, as Percy remained unmoving on the ground, lying on his stomach and clutching the ball protectively to his chest.

His thoughts on pain was really proven right when he felt a small hand clench his arm tightly. It hurt. For such a small and unassuming girl, Maria Kobayashi had a surprisingly strong grip. Guess the constant sword training since she was young had something to do with that.

From the corner of his eye, he saw that his relatively new female friend had ghastly pale skin and her eyes filled with worry. His satyr powers detected fear and anxiety. The girl obviously cared a lot about their wayward friend, who thought it was a good idea to play full-contact football with guys taller and nearly twice as bulky as he was.

The other players on the field slowly converged around the downed player and as one, the players, the concerned Grover and Maria, and the deathly silent crowd stared at the smallest guy playing.

"Uh… Percy? You okay, man?"

Grover heard one guy call out to his friend. There was no response and he seriously wanted to just run up to them and take Percy to the nurse's office, disguise be damned. He could not afford to fail another mission, especially to something like a sports accident.

He was just about to stand when the unmoving player twitched. The slight movement was almost unnoticeable but Grover just managed to spot it using his better-than-mortal satyr senses. Then, making the crowd brief a collective sigh of relief, the small, sixth-grade boy jumped to his feet and dusted himself off like nothing happened, the football still in hand. A happy grin was even on his face!

Grover started chuckling darkly and Maria turned to him in surprise.

"Grover?" She asked, her worry shifting from Percy to the boy she was currently sitting with.

"Yeah… I'm just thinking about what a total drama queen that guy could be… He was totally fine the entire time! He just wanted to add some excitement to the friggin' football game!" Grover muttered, seeing the smug, accomplished look on Percy's face. "As if football wasn't violently exciting enough…" Grover ranted to Maria who stopped listening after the first sentence. She kept nodding along though. Sometimes, Grover was a worse drama queen than Percy.

While Grover was on his rant, Percy turned to the boy who'd asked him if he was alright, the same one who tackled him. "I'm fine, Tim. Good tackle by the way! Really felt that one!" Percy sent the players another grin and took his position.

The high-schoolers looked around at their fellow players, wondering if they should really continue. They were already a bit skeptical about letting the tiny sixth-grader play with them, but he was doing good until that last stunt.

"Hey! Let's go guys! I have a meeting this afternoon!" Percy yelled from his spot on the field. He was playing running back today and he was seriously enjoying himself. H hadn't felt a thrill like this since that fateful morning all those months ago when he met Ted.

"You heard the guy!" The young man in mind, Ted Robins the sports prodigy of Yancy Academy, called out. "Are you just gonna let a kid beat you? In Football?" He yelled, pumping up the teams.

"That's the spirit! Let's go guys! I'm still gonna get at least five more touchdowns!" Percy shouted, taunting the guys and daring them to stop him. He'd been nearly untouchable on the field the whole game, with the last tackle among one of the few plays that actually managed to stop him from getting the 10-yards.

"Oooh… you're gonna regret that Jackson!"

"Let's see how much trashtalk you can dish out when we're done with you!"

"You haven't stopped him yet Seth! Stop your posturing and get in position. Play's starting soon!"

"Shut up John! Your sister has the hots for the kid!"

"I do not have the hots for Percy!" A girl yelled from the stands. It was Jane. Upon realizing what she just said and noticing the looks all the other people were giving her, she resolutely sat back down and hid her face in her hands. Her other girlfriends surrounded the distraught girl and sent scathing glares at Seth.

"Fuck you! Don't bring my sister into this!"

"Shut up man! You're just a sis-con!"

"I am not! You're just upset you can't get a girlfriend! With that face, I'm not surprised!"

"Oh, and like you have a girlfriend! The closest thing to one would be your sister! Like I said, sis-con!"

"Will you two just shut the fuck up!" Jane yelled, interrupting the argument. The two idiots in question looked up to the bleachers and caught sight of the cold, harsh glares they were receiving from Jane and her friends which promptly shut them up. When usually bubbly cheerleaders glared daggers at you, you'd best listen to their demands for your continued good health.

John and Seth, Ted's friends, were on opposite teams today and playing linemen to boot. The two were usually the best of friends but they were both uber competitive so their friendship usually manifested in trashtalk and roasting when they were on opposite teams.

"Okay… let's do this Ted!" Percy called to his quarterback as the lines were drawn, ignoring the two bickering friends.

This was usually how the games went down; with Percy and Ted on the same team. Even though Percy had one of the highest athletic abilities in the school even among the high-schoolers he usually practiced with, his size could also be a big disadvantage.

To offset that disadvantage, he usually got to team up with Ted. His older friend was enough of a monster to carry the team by himself, and even with the cons Percy brought to the table, mainly his size and inexperience, Ted could easily cover for him enough so that Percy's high athleticism could be put on full display.

Two walls of solid muscle faced each other as Ted shot out calls to his team. "Ready, Percy?"

"You bet buddy!"

"Set… hut… hut!"

* * *

"Whooo! That was a great game!" Ted yelled in exuberant joy as Percy, John, Seth and he exited the locker rooms. "I wish Coach Booker would be absent more. He would never had let you play with us Perce!" He grabbed Percy in a headlock and proceeded to noogie the poor boy. "You tiny shit."

"Agh… Ted… Fuck you!" Percy yelled as he struggled in the teen's grip. He was rewarded as in his harried flailing, his elbow connected with Ted's nose in a sickening crunch.

"YeowcH!" Ted screamed as his hold on the boy slackened, his hands immediately moving to gingerly crutch his abused face. "Damn it, Percy… good shot…"

Ignoring the roughhousing idiots, Ted and Seth kept the conversation going.

"Yeah… I didn't even think the guys would go for it." Seth added as he raised a closed fist to John in a silent apology for words exchanged during the game. John bumped his own fist in acceptance and just like that, the two were the best of friends again. "And weren't we lucky there was an xxxs size uniform and padding."

"Why do we even have that?" John asked as the quartet exited the locker rooms, back in their casual clothes.

It was Ted, under his capacity as a sports chairman. "Principal Black had that added to the equipment earlier in the year. Let me tell you, I had to jump through some hoops to get a it. The lady who took the custom order gave me such a weird look."

"What?" Percy asked as he pried himself out of Ted's grip. "Ast- I mean… Principal Black made you get it?"

"Yeah… It was strange too…" Ted replied as he tried to remember how that particular conversation went. "I got orders to get the it over Christmas break, personally from her, which was weird in itself since one of the coaches usually do that… I asked her why since I doubted we'd get a football player who was that small… but she insisted…" He looked at Percy. "Good thing too. Or else we had to wait until next year to have you practicing with us."

Percy went silent. He'd just started Yancy that year and started doing his 'detentions' with Astra around halfway into the first term. Did she somehow know that he'd be playing for the sports teams and had the equipment necessary prepared beforehand? Or was it really just a coincidence?

"cy… rcy… PERCY!" Someone yelled straight into his ear and made Percy jump in fright. It was Ted.

"What was that for fucker?!" Percy yelled back, both annoyed and in pain at the ringing in his ears.

"I've been calling your name for at least a minute… You were the one just staring up into space…"

"Oh… right… what were we talking about?"

"We're going to the cafeteria." Seth told him as Ted grumbled by himself facing the wall.

Percy sighed. This was one of the things about Ted that both amused and annoyed him. He was usually an upbeat and energetic person but his mood could turn at the most random of triggers and he'd turn into this. A depressed and surly guy that lost most of his usual abilities.

He doubted Ted could even make a layup when he was like this. Fortunately, it was just as easy to snap him out of his funk as it was to trigger him into it.

"Yeah… It's still too early for dinner is served, but Ted said that we could probably pester Mama Rida into giving us something…" John said as he tried to pull Ted away from the wall. They were all used to this usual quirk Ted displayed.

Percy sighed disappointedly. He was starving and he would have loved nothing more than to go with them, but like he said earlier on the field, he had a meeting to go to.

"Sorry guys… Can't… I promised I'd meet Maria for some practice and I'm already late as it is." Percy told the guys, bringing a reaction out of Ted.

"Wha?!" Ted had an incredulous look on his face. "You're meeting a girl?"

"Just how many girls do you have?" Seth asked and you could hear the jealousy in his voice. "You've got Maria, Nancy, Jane…"

"JANE?!"

"NANCY?!"

John and Percy yelled at almost the exact same time, interrupting Seth from listing down every girl he thought had at least the slightest amount of affection for Percy. He was just about to say some of Jane's friends, Percy knew.

"Ow." Ted monotoned. "My poor ears."

"Yeah." Seth turned to John. "You have eyes, John. Use them. You know how Jane looks at the kid." He turned to Percy. "And Nancy keeps bullying you to get your attention." He shook his head and poked Percy on the forehead. "It's obvious she has a crush on you."

"No… just no." Percy shook his head as he denied Seth's words. "There's no way. Do you even know Nancy? She's evil!"

"No. She likes you! That's why she bullies you! It's elementary, Percy!" Seth insisted. If he could push Percy towards that Bobofit girl, then he'd be off the market! Meaning, he'd not get all the girls and Seth could actually find himself a girl. "Don't you do that to the girl you have a crush on? Bully her to get her attention?"

"No." Percy said with no hesitation. He'd never done that. Quite the opposite, actually. Instead of bullying the girl to get her attention, Percy decided to change, to be better so that he'd actually earn the right to be with her.

'the kindest, bravest, most loyal'

Percy's hand reflexively reached up to grab the fang pendant he always wore. Ted saw the movement and realized that all this talk about the boy's love life was for nothing. He already had someone.

Seth was stumped at Percy's flat-out denial. Didn't boys pull on pigtails and flip skirts of the girls they liked? That was how it was for him anyways.

"Still… Nancy totally likes you man! Besides, don't you think she'd look really beautiful in a few years?"

"If you think she's so beautiful, why don't you go for her?"

"Um… well…" Seth rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "She's a bit too young for me."

Percy frowned and his eyes darkened. He knew that feeling. After all, he was around a decade younger than Astra. His grip on the fang tightened.

While the two started bickering over Percy's love life, Ted was poking John who had gone catatonic. The sports prodigy had stopped paying attention when he saw Percy grab at his pendant and was now fussing over John. He guessed his friend did use his eyes and looked back upon all the time Percy had lunch with them. Jane was unusually silent during those occasions, and her eyes always did linger on the kid a bit too long.

"Hey guys?" Ted called out as John started twitching. "I think something's wrong with John."

"What happened?" Seth asked as he walked up to his two other friends.

Seth used the opportunity to get away from Percy's dark look. He honestly liked the kid but he was a bit too serious sometimes for his tastes. Admittedly, it was his fault trying to push for him and Nancy but still… you're twelve, man! You shouldn't be making faces like that yet.

"Look." Ted promptly poked John's stomach. The boy didn't react except for one of his eyes twitching.

"Yeah… we better get him to the nurse's office." Seth said a bit guilty for causing this reaction. He wasn't worried though. John wouldn't be like this for long. "We'll see you, Percy. Have a good date with Maria!" He called out as both he and Ted grabbed John and started carrying him to the infirmary.

"It's not a date! Grover will be there! And Mr. Brunner!" Usually it was just the trio of students, Percy, Maria and Grover. They met up every Sunday afternoon to fulfill Percy's promise to practice with the girl. Somehow, Mr. Brunner found out about the extra sessions – probably because of Grover – and he invited himself to this particular session, saying he'd have a surprise.

Percy wondered why he didn't bring his surprise on the Saturday morning training all the contestants received.

"Yeah, yeah! Have fun Perce! Say hiya to Grover and Maria for me, 'kay!" Ted said as he waved a hand over his shoulder as if to shoo him away. "And be sure to win in the tournament! I bet a month's worth of allowance on you!"

"And give Maria a kiss from me!"

"Fuck you Seth! You're a pig!"

"Guilty!"

" _Jane… no~_ " John weakly groaned out, making the last dredges of banter peter out.

The friends immediately said goodbyes and went their separate ways, the trio of high-schoolers going towards the Nurse's office, starting to worry for their friend, and Percy going to the empty classroom that had been designated as his private training area.

" _Jaaaaaannneeeee~"_

* * *

The classroom Percy and co were using was slightly remodeled to suit their needs. The desks and chairs were pushed to the side to make space and the floor was covered with a mat that was both softer and less slippery than the floor tiles that most classrooms in Yancy used. The amount of bruises Percy accumulated significantly dropped upon the addition of the mat. He was forever thankful for Maria being able to find it.

Upon entering the classroom, a full fifteen minutes late, Percy was treated to the sight of Maria going down against a sandy haired teenager, maybe a year or two older than Ted. The stranger was wearing an orange t-shirt under the usual padding they used as protection.

"You're getting better Maria. You lasted a whole five minutes this time." The stranger praised as he offered the girl a hand.

"Thanks Luke." Maria responded as she took the proffered hand and pulled herself to a standing position. She dusted herself off as she got her feet under her and grinned at the older boy.

Percy cleared his throat, letting his presence be known by those inside. There were four people, aside from him.

There were the two people sparring on the mats, Maria and the sandy-haired stranger.

Then there was Grover who was interestedly watching the match taking place.

Last was Mr. Brunner who was sitting in his wheelchair, silently reading a book while drinking a cup of tea. He turned his head in his direction upon hearing Percy's cough and a smile broke out on his face.

"Ah. Percy, you've arrived." He said as he gestured Percy over. "I think introductions are in order. Come, m'boy." He wheeled over to the mats and introduced the sandy-haired teen to him. "This is Luke Castellan. He's one of those campers I told you about."

"Hey!" The teen, Luke, greeted. "Call me Luke. Mr. Brunner's told me lots about you." Luke said as he turned towards him and put his hand forward for a handshake. "I hope you decide to join us for the summer."

Percy started upon getting a clear look at his face. The boy was handsome, like he could maybe pass for a model. He had sandy-blonde hair and brilliant blue eyes along with sun kissed skin. The only thing that ruined his beach boy look was the angry scar on his face, running just under his right eye and down his cheek all the way to his jaw. The mark didn't take anything from his looks, however, and instead gave him a dangerous, bad-boy charm.

"Nice to meet you too, Luke." Percy said as they shook hands after Percy had taken a moment to get over his surprise. Luke patiently waited for him as he retrieved his bearings. Percy noted how firm Luke's grip was. "Sorry 'bout that." He said referring to the awkward pause he caused.

"No problem, Percy." Luke said with a grin. "I'm used to that reaction. And don't worry." He rubbed along the scar. "This baby gets me all the girls' attention."

"I could imagine." Percy replied with a grin. He hadn't even known this guy for five minutes and Percy already felt like they would get along famously.

"I only managed to get Luke to come for today, Percy." Mr. Brunner explained. "So, let's make use of his skills and start sparring. You can meet Luke properly later on in the summer if you decide to join us." He turned to Maria. "I am sorry, but is it alright if you just watched for today, Kobayashi-san?"

"Hai, sensei." Maria said as she took a seat next to Grover. "I think I'll learn a lot just from watching anyways. Those two are a bit too high-level for me." Even with the extra practice with Percy, the boy just seemed to be getting farther and farther away. Maria felt that she was slowly catching up but there was this niggling feeling that Percy was starting to hold back against her.

"Nonsense. You are very skilled as well, m'girl." Mr. Brunner said as he wheeled himself so that he was besides the two students.

"Yeah, Maria. You're very good." Grover agreed, speaking up for the first time. "Luke's just been training for years and Percy… Percy's just abnormal."

"Hey!" Percy called out as he took a wooden sword for himself and some pads they borrowed from the Saturday training sessions for protection. The pads were made of leather with the insides stuffed of something soft that Percy couldn't identify.

Right now, the protections were crude and was just enough to meet his needs but Mr. Brunner said that Astra had some real leather armor made for the tournament. Percy could imagine Astra wearing some kind of emperor's garb on tournament day and ordering them to fight like gladiators.

"It's true though." Maria called out to him. "You played football with high-schoolers and managed to win. You even scored six touchdowns!"

Luke whistled. "Really, Percy?"

The boy in question nodded.

"That's impressive."

"Now, now. We can all chat later over tea and snacks." Mr. Brunner interjected. He'd broken protocol by getting Luke to come but he thought the experience of sparring against someone from camp would help him make a decision. Besides, it looked like they'd be good friends and Mr. Brunner was always happy to see those under his charge enjoying themselves. "We have limited time, so make use of it!"

"Okay. Let's go!" Percy called out and casually twirled his sword once before he lunged forward suddenly with his weapon positioned for a vicious thrust, surprising Luke at his speed and explosiveness.

He wasn't known as the best swordsman in camp for nothing though, and he showed his skill as he perfectly dodged Percy's opening strike, a quick stab, with a simple sidestep.

Successfully dealing with the attack, the teen retaliated, twirling his sword once like Percy did before doing a high horizontal slash aimed at Percy's head. He took advantage of Percy's positioning. His opening thrust left him defenseless since his sword was overextended, a rookie mistake. It would only take a split second to get his sword back into position, but that split second was all Luke needed. His sword whizzed by, the blade even when made out of wood still slicing through the air like it was made of the finest of metal.

It was fortunate that Percy's head wasn't in the way or else he might have gotten a severe concussion. Maybe even worse, given that Luke gave his all into that strike. As the teen expected of someone so highly regarded by one of history's most renowned teachers, Percy ducked cleanly under the strike and turned his moment of weakness into a chance to go on the offensive.

From underneath Luke's guard, the boy used the pommel of his wooden sword to send a strike similar to an uppercut. He aimed at the teen's chin, looking to end the match.

The pommel strike did not hit as Percy expected. It did connect, but instead of the potentially match-ending hit to the chin where he had a chance to instantly knock his opponent unconscious, the more experienced fighter among them caught the end of his sword in his free hand. It was inches away from his face.

"Good hit Perce!" Luke grunted as he pushed Percy away by shoving his larger and more developed body into him. Percy guessed that was how he beat Maria without hurting her.

Percy let his body be pushed away though he didn't fall to the ground like Maria did. He stepped back at the last moment, messing up the point of contact and absorbing the force. Percy ended up rolling on the ground and springing away from the teen, putting a considerable distance between the two fighters.

Not even five seconds passed have passed and already the spectators were on the edge of their seats. The exchange was a furious display of speed and reflexes, pure physicality, although what the audience were waiting for was the technique that has yet to be showed off.

"Damn it man! You almost took my head off!" Percy screamed as he checked his person. Yep. His head was still definitely on.

Instead of looking guilty, Luke let out an amused laugh.

"What's so funny? That you almost killed me?"

"Don't worry Percy. I knew you'd dodge it!"

"Of course, I would. I very much like my head where it is."

While bantering around, the two combatants were circling each other like two predators fighting for hunting grounds. They were watching every twitch, looking out for any sign that could signal the start of their confrontation once more.

This time, it was Luke who struck first.

The teen launched a flurry of strikes. A sword thrust, similar to the one Percy did but more in control, followed by a series of slashes ending with a leg sweep to try and knock the boy off his feet.

Percy did his best to defend. Sidestep, duck, parry, parry, pirouette, jump! He managed to stave of the series of hits and launch his own counterattack.

Their audience was enraptured by the dizzying exchange Luke and Percy had. It was like a deadly dance of blades with each person giving their all. The two combatants switched between defending and attacking seamlessly, pulling of parries and ripostes, mixing in jabs with their open hands and leg sweeps to put their opponents of balance and launching menacing strikes with their respective blades.

Even though their swords were blunt and wooden, it seemed as if they were holding live blades by the way they were treating the match. It was like their life was on the line.

Grover would have mistaken the friendly match for just that, a life-or-death battle, if not for the happy grin on Percy's face and the pleased smirk on Luke's. The two were just enjoying it, reveling in the thrill of fighting a capable opponent.

Mr. Brunner looked on with a pleased smile on his face. Percy had gone a long way in so short a time. In just three short months, Percy had already honed his skill that he could go toe-to-toe with Luke. It was almost absurd how steep his learning curve was.

And if Grover's reports were to be believed, Percy was improving in every aspect of his life, whether it was physically with all the sports he dabbled in, in his studies with how his grades started to climb or even in his social life. He had noticed how many new friends the boy was making, although the young miss sitting next to him was the only one he had met personally. There was even his adorable relationship with the principal.

The boy really did have great potential. His father must be one of the elder gods; there was no other explanation for his prodigious abilities. Percy surpassed even the most recent child of the big three.

From what he heard of Thalia Grace, bless her soul, she was a powerful demigod who could take on armies of monsters by herself for a short amount of time. He expected Percy could do the same easily once he could effectively use whatever powers he has.

Maria was watching the match with wide eyes. She was absolutely correct when she claimed that the battle would be too high-level for her to join in. The girl was proud of her hard-earned skill that she had honed back in Japan when she was young but she paled in comparison to the two experts in front of her.

Even her father, a master in his own right, who had taught her Kenjustu would be impressed with them. Her father was the reason she even got into Kendo. Being the workaholic that he was, Shingo Kobayashi spent most of his time on his job. Her mother, Emma Kobayashi was the one who took care of her.

Maria loved her mother but she also adored and idolized her father. That was why when she was still barely walking she wanted to learn Kendo because her father was loved the sport. Her mother, not so much. But she wanted to get her father's attention, and for a while, it worked. Shingo taught her how to hold the sword, how to swing, how to move while her mother lovingly took care of the both of them after a full day getting battered by the shinai. It was the greatest few years of her short life.

And then everything went to shit. Her mother died in a car accident when she was picking Maria up from primary school. She saw everything that happened during the crash and to this day, the image of her mother's bleeding corpse haunts her dreams. Her father took the opportunity his job presented and got promoted, making them move to the US to run away from the bad memories associated with Japan.

His father buried himself back into his work, spending only the minimum amounts of time with Maria. He sent her to boarding school, saying he wasn't fit to raise a child by himself, especially when she looked so much like her mother and it hurt him just to look at her.

A loud grunt brought her out of her recollections. Percy and Luke's blades were locked together and they were pushing at each other with all their strength, trying to get the upper hand.

She felt like she was catching up to Percy. In the last few weeks, she was slowly approaching him. She just had to push herself a bit more and then she would be up to par.

Then he shows her this and she finds out just to what extent Percy's skills surpassed her own. She was disappointed that he seemed to be holding back when facing her but she was also mad at herself for being satisfied with simply catching up. She wanted to be better than him. She wanted to be the best, to make her father proud.

"I wish I could go to Mr. Brunner's camp. Just think of how much I would learn." She wondered out loud, making both the camp director and the satyr pale. She couldn't go to camp. Even though Maria was skilled enough at sword-fighting that she was passable as a summer camper, she still wasn't a half-blood.

"Too bad I'm going to Japan this summer with father." She said glumly. If it was up to her, she'd rather not go back to her home country but her grandparents were getting old and she wanted to spend some time with them before they passed. Besides, there were some friends of hers back in her hometown that she missed very much.

Oblivious to the girl's inner turmoil, her last words comforted the two males on the sidelines. Mr. Brunner felt that he was right in letting the girl tag along with them on their special training especially since Percy did need a partner and he was actually the one who invited himself this time, but maybe talking about camp was a mistake on his part. He didn't foresee that Maria herself would be interested.

At least he had time to make an excuse to deter her from going next year, and by then, Percy should already be coming.

"Waaahhh… You're going to Japan, Maria?" Grover asked the girl trying to ignore the bullet they just dodged.

"Yeah but only for the summer. I'll be back in Yancy by next year."

"That's good! I got used to having you around!" Percy called out as he parried Luke's slash.

"You can't get rid of me that easily Jackson."

"Of course not! You're the girl who doggedly pestered me for hours until I promised we'd train together." Percy shot back as he evaded a vertical slash by a hairs breadth. The boy immediately stopped talking and tried to send his own counterattack.

He failed. The conversation he participated in distracted him enough to give Luke the opening he needed.

"Pay attention Percy!" Luke shouted as a particularly vicious maneuver caught managed to catch Percy's blade near the base.

Percy's eyes narrowed as his sword got caught. He knew this move and he knew that he'd be disarmed if he didn't do something. Before Luke could twist his sword downwards and send Percy's sword flying, the boy did something that no one could have expected.

He let go of his sword.

Luke's eyes widened as the counter-balance to his disarming technique vanished as he put his weight into a downwards twist only to find that nothing was there. Gravity had done it's work and Percy's sword had gotten enough distance from his own that all Luke got was a wasted strike that made him lose his balance for his trouble.

Grover's jaw dropped as he wondered what the hell Percy was thinking, dropping his weapon in the middle of the fight.

Maria's cheeks reddened at the sight of Percy's eyes as they lit up and the smug, confident smirk his face was sporting, though she too was wondering what on earth possessed him to throw the match like that and still be pleased with himself.

Mr. Brunner's face was impassive as he watched the events unfold. This wasn't like anything he'd ever teach a hero but if Percy could pull of what he assumed was a winning move, then good for him. Although the maneuver wasn't likely to work if they were using live blades, Percy was showing the unpredictability that was always good when facing monsters.

Percy grinned at the surprise visible on Luke's face. He knew he'd get disarmed, it was only a matter of time. The only way he could think off to pull off the win was to disarm himself temporarily.

Making use of his now free hand, he slapped Luke's sword out of position by pushing off the flat of his blade. It was easy since Luke's sword was already close to his hand; the disarming move involved locking blades near the sword hilt. That left the teen open for the second part of his move. His free hand that Percy had been using to send jabs at Luke all throughout the match darted forward.

He caught his falling sword, snatching it inches off the ground. Still in his lowered position – he had to bend down low to catch his sword – Percy looked up and shot Luke a smug grin.

"Gotcha!" The boy struck, a lazy slash that would have been parried by even the most novice of practitioners.

Luke had no chance. Percy knocked him way out of position and the force he exerted on his twisting motion when he tried to send Percy's sword flying made him off-balance.

Everyone in the room watched as Percy's sword slowly flew in an arc and hit Luke in the shoulder, right on the padded leather.

The first hit of the spar.

* * *

The day's session ended after three grueling hours filled with loud thwacks of wood hitting wood and the grunts Percy and Luke made as they hit each other senseless. The two boys had kept at it for numerous spars with each spar ending only with the disarming of the opponent or with a full-on hit.

The two combatants gave their all in every match and it showed. Luke was sporting light bruises on his arms and chest, the places the padding covered. Some of Percy's hits were powerful enough to get through the leather and the stuffing. When it came to the severity of injuries, however, Percy was worse off. Aside from the purpling bruises that Luke caused by hitting the unprotected parts of his arms and lower body, a lucky hit managed to catch his head. The boy's world was spinning and there were stars in his vision.

Why they don't have helmets, Percy didn't know. And he didn't really care since all his focus was spent on ignoring the throbbing pounding of his head and get back at Luke.

"I'sh arite…" Percy slurred as he tried to get back into a ready position. It was hard, his body was not cooperating, and he saw a double of Luke standing next to the one he knew was real. "keep goin'."

"I think we'd better stop for the day." Luke said as he put down his sword and started unstrapping the protections he wore. "It looks like you got a concussion."

Percy winced and cupped his hands to his ears. Even though Luke talked normally, his words reverberated in his ears that manifested as a painful ringing. He tried to object, say he has fine and that they should go on but the thought better of it when his head pounded in protest at the thought.

"Yeah… we better sit you down." Luke walked up to Percy and helped the boy out of the leather padding before slinging one of the boy's arms over his shoulder. "Where should I put him, Mr. Brunner?" He asked because the classroom didn't have any chairs to sit in. Grover and Maria were simply leaning on some desks while Mr. Brunner had his wheelchair.

"My office is nearby." Mr. Brunner said as he gestured for the students to follow him. "Kobayashi-san? Will you please assist Luke with Percy? Grover, please go on ahead and ready the room. Prepare some tea and there are some cookies in my desk drawer."

The two nodded and went to do their assigned tasks. Seeing the sense in Mr. Brunner's instructions since he couldn't actually help Percy while incognito, Grover crutched ahead of the group while Maria took Percy's other arm over her shoulders. Seeing that Maria wasn't as big or as strong as Luke, she had to wrap her arm around Percy's waist to support him properly.

"Is this alright Percy?" Maria asked as she tested her stability and balance with the boy half-leaned towards her.

"Yesh." He fired a dopey grin towards the girl, his concussion making him feel fuzzy and confused though still coherent enough to appreciate her efforts, which caused her to smile back at him happily. She tried to ignore the butterflies as she felt the hard muscle the boy packed under his shirt but it was deemed a futile attempt as her face flushed anyway.

Luke's eyes twinkled in amusement at the exchange. These two were adorable. "Where to Mr. Brunner?"

"Follow me. And keep him steady, please." Mr. Brunner said as he opened the door and wheeled himself into the hallway.

They followed the man, careful not to jostle Percy too much. They walked slowly and awkwardly with Luke towering over the two youngsters. It was like a messed up three-legged race.

"We're almost there. My office is just around the corner." Mr. Brunner told the kids, noticing how uncomfortable they looked. "Just bear it for a bit longer."

The man wasn't lying. His office was behind the lone door in the hallway they had just entered. Hopefully, Grover had everything ready so Mr. Brunner could look into Percy's injury. The hit looked worse than it actually was if he was accurate with his initial diagnosis. The boy needed only some rest to shake it off.

Then, someone turned the corner and entered the hallway they were in, and Percy froze in his tracks at her appearance. His sudden halt brought the Maria, who was supporting him tumbling to the floor as their delicately balanced walk suddenly lost a pair of legs. Luke managed to stay on his feet but it was a close thing.

'What is she doing here? It's Sunday.' Percy managed to think even through the fuzziness that his blow to the head had caused. The sight of her had that much of an effect on him that the fog started to clear up just at the sight of her.

A wild Astra appeared.

"Why'd you stop!" Maria screeched at him from her position on the floor, though she was readily ignored.

Luke raised an eyebrow as he saw the look on Percy's face. He followed the boy's line of sight, curious as to what could make him look like that. His eyes landed on the most probable subject of the wistful expression that manifested on his younger friend's face. A woman, one of the most beautiful Luke had ever seen and that was saying something since he lived in a camp with daughters of the goddess of beauty and he had even seen the said goddess once before.

Percy didn't notice any of that. The annoyance Maria displayed because of him, the curious looks Luke was shooting him, nor the almost excited gleam in Mr. Brunner's eye as though he was expecting to be thoroughly entertained was something invisible to him. Right in that moment, in that school hallway right outside Mr. Brunner's office, with his throbbing head easily outstripped by his pounding heart beating in joy, there was only Percy and Astra in the whole world.

Percy's eyes were locked on _her_ form. It had been months since they last met face to face, not since their date all those months ago where everything changed for him. There were short glimpses, sure, but they weren't enough. Not even close.

He had been distracted by all the things happening in his life – hanging out with Ted, studying with Grover, practicing swordplay with Maria – that he didn't realize he missed her until today. Every stolen glance and smile in those – as he thought about it now, torturous – months of silence between the two of them only intensified the feelings he felt now.

All that time of not seeing her up close, not basking in her smile, not hearing her laugh, not feeling her warmth; the repressed longing for _her_ hit him all at once. He felt like a reformed drug addict suddenly given access to unlimited amounts of opium. Percy wanted to resist but, to be honest, not really. He'd forgotten all about how he actually missed her, distracted as he was by the nuisance that is life, but suddenly being faced with the object of his addiction brought it all crashing down and hit him hard.

Astra was just as beautiful as ever. Her platinum blonde hair was down today and she was wearing sleek square-rimmed glasses for some reason. Percy thought they suited her. There was a distinct lack of makeup on her face but the natural look suited her. It brought out the natural blush on her cheeks and succulent pink lips. Though her eyes weren't as striking without eyeliner, Percy could still easily get lost in them. The modest white blouse and black slacks combo showed off how good she looked no matter what she wore. The heels on her feet didn't help matters as they accentuated her long legs and that ass that Percy loved.

She looked like a textbook description of business casual. Astra usually wore power suits when acting as the school principal, but Percy guessed that she decided for more casual wear since it was a Sunday.

The only thing that marred her textbook image was the gadget she was fiddling around with as she walked. She was so focused on her little thingy that she hadn't even noticed the group who stopped at her appearance.

His mind had cleared at his first sight of her but the fog had already started to creep in once more. This time, however, the fog did not bring bouts of dizziness and the ringing in his ears. It filled his mind with thoughts of her and how he longed and desired to have wrapped in his arms.

"Astra?" He took a step forward, shrugging his arm off of Luke, and ignoring Maria and Mr. Brunner who were looking at him.

"Ah… wassup Percy!" Astra greeted brightly, raising her arm in acknowledgement. Her blouse rode up at her movement and Percy's eyes involuntary darted to the small strip of skin that was revealed and a shot of desire went through him. "Watcha' doin'?"

Percy stumbled forward, ignoring the protests made by those who witnessed his injury. The boy felt the struggle as his head pounded in objection for his movements, every step he took sending a jolt of pain up his spine. Although his mind felt clear and his heart's desire urging him on, his body simply could not handle the stress he was putting it through.

It did not matter though. Percy pushed through the screams his body shouted at him to stop. He wanted to go to her. To feel her again after so long.

Getting closer, Percy noticed through the haze of pain what Astra was fiddling around with. It was a Gameboy, and a familiar retro tune was still playing from the device, barely audible to Percy's ringing ears.

Dragging himself forward, Percy reached Astra close enough that if he stretched out his arm, he could touch her.

"Astra… missed you…" Percy mumbled incoherently as his vitality ran out. He took another step, finally closing the remaining distance, and collapsed right into Astra's generous bosom.

Her arms instinctively wrapped around the younger boy and hugged him closer into her chest, her Gameboy disappearing inside her pocket. "Percy? What's wrong?" She held him by his shoulders and pushed him away to get a better look at him.

His head lolled to the side like a ragdoll.

"Percy?" She whispered worriedly.

"Don't worry, Principal Black." Mr. Brunner interjected as he wheeled over to the woman who was now starting to panic as she held Percy's unresponsive body. "He's just unconscious. He took a nasty hit to the head earlier during training."

"Mr. Brunner?" Astra asked as she finally noticed the other people in the hallway. "What training?"

Mr. Brunner gave her a blank look. Really, it was her idea and she forgot? To be fair though, she had just seen her… something… collapse in her arms so Mr. Brunner thought that he could cut the woman some slack. "Let us enter my office Principal. We can talk there and Percy can rest on the couch until he wakes up." He wheeled over to his office door which was luckily right behind Miss Black and opened it.

"Okay." Astra started half-dragging half-carrying Percy to the door Mr. Brunner opened. When Luke tried to offer the lady his assistance who gratefully accepted.

Luke walked up to the duo and carefully extracted the unconscious boy from the beautiful woman's arms. He was curious to know who the hell this woman was and why Percy seemed desperate to get to her.

Nevertheless, he took one of Percy's arms and slung it over his shoulder in the same manner he did so earlier. Astra took his other arm and together they hauled Percy into the office.

Maria was the last to enter, her eyes narrowed as she watched her principal wrap an arm around Percy's waist. She was wondering how Percy and Principal Black knew each other, and how close they seemed to be. To be honest, she felt something bubbling in her chest at the sight and she clutched at her chest to make it stop.

What greeted them inside the room was a full tea set and snacks prepared lying on top of the coffee table. Grover was already sat on an armchair and sipping on some tea to calm him down. He had been worried for his friend but he knew Mr. Brunner and Luke had it handled so he followed instructions. The appearance of Astra surprised him but not as much as Maria who was utterly ignorant of the peculiar relationship she had with their mutual friend.

"Luke, Kobayashi-san, please take a seat on the armchairs. Leave the couch open so Percy can stretch out on it."

The two followed what they were told and sat down but not before Luke helped Astra in getting Percy on the couch. Then the problem became evident; there weren't enough chairs. There were only two armchairs and a couch for this set of furniture and Grover had already taken the first chair.

"Please." Maria offered as she gestured Luke to the open chair. She was comfortable standing.

"Nonsense. Take the seat Maria. I'll just…" Luke walked over to Grover and sat on the chair's wide and cushioned arm. "There. See, I'm fine so go ahead."

Maria nodded, sent the older boy a grateful smile and proceeded to plop herself down onto the remaining armchair.

Uncomfortable silence descended upon the occupants of the room as Mr. Brunner poured the tea for everyone. No one noticed it happen but by the time everyone was served, Percy's head had ended up on Astra's lap.

Minutes passed with not a word being said, though the expressions on everyone's face was enough to fill a page.

Percy, of course, was unconscious as his head comfortably laid on Astra's thick, pillowy thighs. His face sported a contented smile as Astra ran her slender fingers through his hair and massaged his scalp.

Astra was happily doting on Percy, humming a comforting tune as she did so. She had been worried about him but if Mr. Brunner said he would be fine then he would be fine. All she could do for now was to let Percy rest, make him comfortable, watch the adorable expressions he made while he slept, wipe the occasional drool that trickled out of his mouth and feel the happiness that coursed through her at finally being able to do this with him again.

The face he had earlier was something that would forever stay with her. The woman could clearly read the emotions that flit through his expressions: shock, joy, sadness, then a desperate longing. For her. Liquid heat pooled in her loins and her breathing hitched as she remembered the dark look in his eyes as he gazed upon her as well as the way his eyes darted to her exposed stomach with clear desire.

The woman was so distracted, busy as she was staring and studying Percy's face, that she hadn't even touched her tea nor felt the daggers directed at her by the only other occupant of the room that belonged to her gender. If looks could kill…

Maria was watching the interaction between the Principal and her friend with narrowed eyes. She was unsure why she felt this way but that was how it is. She didn't like seeing them like that, though she didn't know who she was angrier at. The Principal, Percy, or herself.

Astra Black was someone Maria had always admired, even though she had never actually met the woman. The rumors were enough. Their Principal was the type of woman that lived her life the way she wanted to. She was childish and immature, yes, but she had this sense of freedom and self-confidence that Maria had always wanted to have for herself.

Percy was the same. Maria knew that he was strong. She had once asked him what he was doing at Yancy when she was feeling sad and missing her father. She had been curious about why other people were there. Did they get dumped off like she was? Was it their choice?

Initially, his answer was something that Maria felt she could relate with. He'd told her that his stepfather didn't like him so his mother sent him to Yancy. Maria assumed that he was like her. Abandoned by his parents because they couldn't face him properly.

Turned out she was wrong, as she learned the next five minutes as Percy vented at her. Percy's step-father was a dick. His mother was fooled with the façade the man showed them early on before his true colors surfaced after they'd married. His mom sent him to Yancy to protect him but Percy wasn't having any of that. He reluctantly agreed with what his mom wanted but it was a temporary measure. He hadn't given up and someday, he'd find a way to get his mom back and they'd be a family again.

Principal Black was confident enough in herself to do what she wanted to do even through the looks she received from those around her.

Percy was brave enough that he was willing to do whatever it takes for the sake of his family.

She wanted to be like them, confident and brave and free, so she could face her father properly and tell him what she really wanted to say: she didn't want to spend her years in boarding school; she wanted to live with him and be a family again.

That was why as she looked at the friend and the woman she admired she didn't know if she was jealous that they were brave and confident enough to find happiness in each other or angry at herself for not being strong enough to find happiness herself.

Luke's head swiveled around the room, curiously looking at the other occupants. He knew Mr. Brunner, as Chiron of course, and Grover but the others were people he had met only today.

When he first met Maria and Percy, Luke actually thought that they were together. He didn't know why, they didn't act overtly affectionate or anything like that, but there was something about them that made him feel like they were a couple.

Maybe it was the way they seemed to be so comfortable with each other, maybe it was the way Percy took the risk to tease the girl in the middle of a heated spar, or maybe he was simply bad at reading between the lines.

Then this woman came along and his first impressions were put to the test. At first, Luke thought that Percy and this woman shared a mother-son type relationship. It was believable enough, with the age difference and the way she seemed to care for him. Looking at her now, however, he could see that she had more of a romantic relationship with the boy instead of a motherly one.

No mother would have that look on her face as she doted on her child. And were her thighs rubbing together? Luke had just noticed that Percy's head was almost imperceivably bobbing up and down.

Yep, definitely not mother and son. Judging by the way Maria was shooting glares at the ignorant pair on the couch, Luke could already imagine the amount of trouble Percy was in for when he woke up.

Though, of course, he could be wrong. After all, reading emotions and feelings was a power a son of Hermes did not have. Give him a safe to unlock or a monster to defeat? Sure, no problem. Mess with the intricacies of the heart? Yea…no.

As for the remaining two persons seated with the group, they had similar looks on their face.

Grover's worries had disappeared after Percy was safely deposited onto the couch and his head safely cradled in Astra's lap. Now, his amusement was clearly visible, mirroring the aged teacher as they watched their favorite rom-com that was Astra and Percy. Today's episode was especially entertaining.

A knowing look was exchanged between the two of them before Mr. Brunner sent a pointed glance towards Maria. Grover took the hint and saw her heated look and he desperately wished for some popcorn. Oooh, drama. This was better than television.

Having no such access to the desired snack, Grover decided to go for what was readily available. He took the plate of biscuits from the table and started munching loudly on the treats, finally breaking the silence.

 _Crunch… crunch… crunch…_

One biscuit down.

 _Crunch… crunch… crunch…_

That makes two.

 _Crunch… crunch… crunch…_

Three times the charm.

As Grover reached out to take another biscuit from the plate, Maria suddenly slapped his hand making him drop the treat.

"Do you have to eat so loud?" Maria asked as her eyes shifted from the couch to the boy she was currently talking to. "Can't you… I don't know? Eat like a normal person?" She asked sarcastically.

"Sorry." Grover said before taking another biscuit and eating at a more sedate pace. The noise lessened considerably.

"Thank you." Maria responded as she took a biscuit of her own and started on her tea. The distraction Grover posed made her lose interest in the antics of the people on the couch. Her glare petered out into a normal look, the tea also helping calm her down.

"I'm Luke Castellan, by the way." Luke said realizing that he had yet to introduce herself to their new companion. "Mr. Brunner had me come in as Percy's sparring partner. Sorry 'bout hitting him on the head."

Astra hummed happily in reply as she noticed that Percy was wearing the pendant he gave her. A smile broke out on her face as she twiddled with the fang. "It's alright. I'm sure Percy will be fine. I'm Astra Black, Principal of Yancy Academy." She answered after an awkward pause filled only with the sound of her humming.

"Nice to meet you ma'am."

"And you, young lady? I'm sorry but I'm not familiar with your name." Astra said as she finally looked up from Percy and turned to Maria. She had been staring at him the entire time, even when she was introducing herself to Luke.

"Kobayashi Maria, Principal Black."

To Maria's surprise, the woman's face lit up at the mention of her name and she greeted her in perfect Japanese. Immediately after their greetings, the woman went on a long spiel about how much she loved Japan, all in Nihongo. She gushed about her residence in Japan, how she loved the hot springs, the cherry blossoms, the takoyaki, how she climbed Fuji-san and all sorts of things in such speed and exuberance that even Maria felt a bit overwhelmed.

"Um, Principal?" Mr. Brunner caught in as the woman paused to take a breath. "Um… can we please keep the conversation English. The rest of us can't really understand, ma'am." He gestured to Luke, Grover and himself.

"Ah. Mochiron."

Mr. Brunner cleared his throat. "Engrish." He frowned. What possessed him to butcher such a simple word.

"Oh… sorry…" Astra rubbed the back of her head awkwardly. "Sorry. I said 'of course.'"

The man nodded appreciatively. "And if you would please repeat… maybe the last five minutes? I don't think even Kobayashi-san managed to keep track."

"Ehehe, sorry. As I was saying… by the way, can I just call you Maria-chan?" She turned to the girl. "You're just so cute!" The girl nodded numbly, prompting Astra to squeal and repeat her name over and over again.

At around the eighth repetition, Mr. Brunner cleared his throat. "What were we talking about, Miss Black?"

"Ah! Okay! Anyways, I was just talking about…" She started repeating her story though this time at a more sedate pace. The other occupants of the room were nodding and paying attention interestedly at her words.

They were especially entertained by Astra's riveting story about how she survived two weeks on Mt. Fuji with nothing but the clothes on her back and the toothpick she used to eat takoyaki with earlier in the day. Don't ask.

"Wow, Ms. Black. That's amazing!"

"The bit about getting Kuma the bear to Porker the pig was especially impressive. I can't believe I just said that." Again, don't ask.

"I didn't know there were things like that on Mt. Fuji. Maybe I'll get dad to go with me on a camping trip this summer…"

"Ah, Maria? What else can you tell us about living in Japan? From what the Miss said, it seems to be a very interesting place to grow up in…"

The attention shifted from woman to girl, as Luke posed a question that interested everyone present. The three conscious males were simply curious about how different life was in Japan when compared to the Western lifestyle they were more used to.

As for Astra, for all she knew of Japan, she hadn't actually lived there long enough to pick up what really a normal day was. Besides, what was normal for her was downright strange to the general populace.

"Well…" She glanced at her companions, getting nervous due to the undivided attention she received. "Uh… I grew up in this town called Kuoh until I was seven."

"Wait… Kuoh? Like Kuoh Academy?"

"Yes Principal. I actually went to Kuoh Academy for primary school until… well… until we moved." Maria replied, a bit uncomfortable talking about the actual reason why they moved to the US. Her mother's memory still very much something she hurt remembering.

"Hmmm…" Astra rubbed at her chin thoughtfully.

"What is it, Miss Black?"

"Oh… nothing Mr. Brunner. I was just thinking on something. Please, go ahead Maria-chan."

"Uh… right." Maria said as she took another sip at her tea while she gathered her thoughts. "Anyways, life in Kuoh was far different than life in New York. It wasn't as noisy, for one. Also, it wasn't as crowded. There weren't skyscrapers; the tallest buildings were maybe seven stories?"

"What about the people?" It was Mr. Brunner who asked. He had always been curious about the place. Japan was known as having one of the most advanced technology in the world, yet it's culture still ran deep.

"Um… they're… normal?... I guess? They weren't that much different from Tokyokko. That means people of Tokyo, by the way, though there were these three idiots I saw around the town perving on anything in a skirt. They tried hitting on every woman they come across."

"That's normal, I think. There are all sorts of people around." Mr. Brunner commented before taking another sip of tea. He'd been living long enough to know that there existed in the world any sort of person you can think of.

"They were five years old when I last saw them." Maria deadpanned.

"Urk…" Mr. Brunner summarily ejected the beverage he was drinking from the orifice that was his mouth as he sputtered at her words. Really now? Barely toddler-aged playboy wannabes? He hadn't seen that before. His reaction made the others, Astra especially, laughed uproariously, though she was still careful not to jostle Percy too much.

"They were… five?!" Astra made out in between bouts of bellyaching laughter.

"And they super ecchi! They were kids so they were kinda cute but no one would go near them because they were nearly drooling at the women!"

Astra's laughter intensified. "Ahahahahahaa! My stomach…. Ow… my stomach… hahahaha" She bent over in her attempts to quell the ache in her belly, inadvertently burying Percy's face in her breasts and cutting off his airflow.

. "Um… Principal Black… Percy's-" Grover stammered out before being interrupted.

"You're suffocating him you cow!" She near screeched, clutching at her flat chest. Immediately after her words, Maria clapped a hand over her mouth her eyes wide with disbelief at what she just said. What did she just do? Did she just insult the principal?! Oh god…

The room quieted, all traces of humor draining out of the occupants only to be replaced by heavy tension. Astra's froze, mid-laughter, still bent over on Percy who was now starting to twitch from the lack of air.

A moment passed in awkward silence. Then another passed, beads of sweat starting to slowly drip down Maria's face as Astra stared at her impassively. Then another second of tranquility before a brave soul piped up.

Mr. Brunner cleared his throat. "Well… Miss Black. Please dislodge Percy from your…" A blush slowly creeped up his face from his neck. He cleared his throat once more. "Just… please let Percy breathe."

Astra turned her gaze from Maria to the teacher, making the girl breathe a sigh of relief. "Sure!" She said sunnily. Maria sank into her chair exhaustedly. She looked like she just survived a cage match with a tiger. "Excuse me while I get my cow tits out away, m'kay Maria-chan?" Astra turned robotically, a forced smile still on her face, to said girl who was once again sweating bullets. The boys winced and Grover gave her a pitying look.

"Ah… well.. uh… y'see…" Maria stammered out nervously. "I'm sorry for my earlier words, ma'am." She said, springing to her feet and bending at the waist in a bow.

Astra said nothing. She just stared at the girl impassively. For a few tense seconds, everyone watched silently as Maria, still bowed at the waist, asked for forgiveness with Astra just staring at her.

Having pity on the girl, Mr. Brunner once again cleared his throat, drawing Astra's attention. "Now, now. The girl apologized, Miss Black. And I'm sure she didn't actually mean anything by her words. Why don't we just forget all this happened so that Kobayashi-san can continue telling her story?"

Astra looked at the girl who was still bowed before her with a thoughtful look. "Right!" She said to Maria. "Please, continue Maria-chan!" She shot the girl an encouraging smile that, if nothing else, made the girl even more nervous.

Maria looked to Mr. Brunner who nodded at her encouragingly. She took a deep breath as she once again collapsed into her armchair and took a calming sip of tea. It had gone cold to her disappointment. As she despondently sipped at her beverage until the cup was empty, she made sure to avoid looking in Astra's direction before she resumed her tale.

"Well, weirdly enough, there are tons of foreigners living in Kuoh." Maria's eyebrows scrunched up. "Actually, when I visited Tokyo one time for a few weeks with my father, there weren't actually as many foreigners compared to Kuoh. In the school I went to, almost half the girls were from Europe or the Americas."

"So, your mom's not Japanese, right? How'd she meet your dad?" Grover asked her though he felt bad when the girl winced. He didn't know why she reacted like that but still. "Sorry. Please ignore me."

"No. It's alright." Maria took a deep breath before she began talking again.

"She wasn't. Japanese I mean. She was Italian." She smiled as a pleasant memory about her mother surfaced in her thoughts. There weren't many of those since most of them were tainted by the last memory she had of her mom – banged up and bleeding from a car crash. "They met at work, actually. My dad worked for a company called Gremory Construction. It was part of an international corporation owned by the Gremory Family and they dabbled in almost every industry. My mom was an interior designer transferred to the Japan branch to assist in a project and met my dad who was an architect." A genuine smile grew on her face. "They didn't like each other at first and mom couldn't speak Japanese to save her life. She barely spoke English! It was rough going but eventually they fell in love." She wet her throat with another sip of tea while the others were paying close attention to the story.

"They stayed in contact when their project was finished and my mom went back to Italy. Mom always said she fell in love with him when they went to see some fireworks in the summer, a full year after they met. It was her vacation, and she chose to go to Japan where my father was waiting. A year later, my mom gets moved to Kuoh permanently. Three years later, they get married and I'm born soon after. I'll always remember every summer when we go to the town festival and watch the sky light up in bright colors." Maria finished wistfully, her voice cracking.

"That's sweet, Maria-chan." Astra sniffed, the earlier transgression against her breasts totally forgotten, and emotional at the sheer nostalgia the girl was swept up in. She herself could feel just how much the memories affected her. Percy himself shifted in her lap, as if he was feeling the emotions in the room even when unconscious. Astra brought up her hand and weaved her fingers once more in his hair and the boy calmed down at her touch.

"Now I wanna see a Japanese festival." Grover muttered as his satyr powers went into overdrive. He felt bad for Maria, feeling the sadness and longing she felt, but he also knew that under all that gloom she was happy.

"Your parents sound wonderful, m'girl."

"They are. Rather, they were. My mom died when I was six." Maria shrugged and kept her face blank, trying to hide how she really felt about her mother dying but she fooled no one. The others already saw the flash of sadness on her face before she managed to school her expression.

Mr. Brunner winced. "Ah, my apologies."

"It was a long time ago."

"Who taught you how to use a sword?" Luke asked, sensing that she might not want to stay on the topic of her family any longer. He was closely acquainted with the same feeling. "You're pretty good and if you moved here when you were seven, then you must have started young."

Maria's beamed at him. It was obvious that Kendo and Kenjustu was something she was really passionate about. "My dad taught me! He was a big kendo fan and he practiced all throughout high school and university! He even practiced under some bigshot master. Shidou or something."

"Do you continue to train with him?"

Her bright smile soured. "No. We stopped when we moved here. I kept up my practice by myself with instructions over the Internet. And… well…" She blushed in embarrassment. "from some manga…" She whispered almost inaudibly. Maria was a bit ashamed that she picked up sword moves from manga of all things.

Sadly for her, the one person who was a big anime and manga fan in the room heard her.

"Oooooh! OOOOOOH! What manga, Maria-chan! I love reading manga!" Astra was almost bouncing in her seat in her excitement. The only reason that she wasn't was Percy's head still lying on her lap. "I love things like Fullmetal Alchemist and Naruto but my favorite right now is Shokugeki no Soma!" A finger rose to her lips and tapped the succulent crescents thoughtfully. "Though I also really enjoyed Mahou-sensei Negima… just not the ending…"

Before she could break out into a rant about how convoluted and confusing the ending was and how the series totally didn't deserve it, Percy twitched in her lap and spoke nearly incomprehensible gibberish. The others didn't understand the words – they were too far away – but Astra understood perfectly.

"mmmhmmmm… damn… Soma…" Percy moaned in his unconscious state. "mmmmm… mine…" He nuzzled into Astra's blouse and one of his arms circled around her waist.

Astra smiled at the action and held the hand wrapped around her while the others promptly returned to their earlier expressions. Maria glared and wringed her hands furiously, Luke curiously observed and Mr. Brunner and Grover looked amused.

"I think he's getting better. He may wake up soon." Mr. Brunner commented.

"What was that about?"

Astra gave them a knowing smile. "Nothing, Mr. Underwood. Just some gibberish." She turned back to Percy and poked him softly on the cheek prompting another groan from the boy and making her giggle in turn.

"Uh… okay…" Grover dropped the subject though it was obvious that he didn't believe her words.

"So… what manga do you read, Maria-chan?" Astra repeated as she looked up from the boy in her lap.

"Uhhh…" Maria's glare receded as she thought. "Well… One Piece is the most popular manga in the world… I'd think everyone born in the last ten years have at least heard of it… and Zoro's pretty cool…"

"So… you know three-sword style?" Astra asked and she eagerly awaited the answer. She was like a child as she looked at her with amazement in her eyes. "Can you do that in the tournament?"

Luke himself looked interested. He didn't know about this One Piece, but a sword style that employed three-swords? Luke was pretty decent at dual wielding but he was more used to a sword and shield. A way to use three-swords though was pretty interesting.

Mr. Brunner was just amused. In his long life, he'd encountered almost everything that ever reached the West and he had at least heard of One Piece. After all, as his student said, it was the most popular manga in the world.

Maria sweatdropped. "Uh… I'm sorry principal. But honestly, I can't imagine how someone could fight seriously with a sword in their mouth." She shuddered. "And how can he even swing that thing? How stupidly strong are his neck muscles anyway?"

"What do you mean, Maria?" Luke asked.

"Zoro is a character in One Piece. He used three swords – one in each hand and another one wedged between his teeth." Maria explained making Luke gawk at the image he formed in his mind.

"He what? How can he even?" Luke sputtered, shooting a disbelieving look at the girl.

"He's actually one of the strongest members of the crew." Astra added, making Luke turn his attention to her.

"Crew?"

"One Piece is a story in Japan that involves pirates going on adventures with the ultimate goal of finding the ultimate treasure, the titular One Piece." Mr. Brunner explained to the surprise of Grover, Maria and Luke whose jaws dropped or eyebrows rose. They didn't expect Mr. Brunner, of all people, to explain in such detail, let alone recognize, a Japanese manga.

"What? I read… a lot…" Mr. Brunner grumbled defensively.

"Are you a fan, Mr. Brunner?" Astra asked.

"Somewhat… I've been keeping up with the latest releases…" Mr. Brunner admitted.

"Hehehe… good for you!" She sent him a thumbs-up. "Congratulations dear sir. You've earned a raise!" She giggled at the totally exasperated and unbelieving faces that were shot at her.

"You gave me a raise…" Mr. Brunner started slowly, not really believing what he heard. "Because I read One Piece?"

"Yep!"

"Dear god… what school am I attending if she's the principal."

"I don't know Maria, but I'm thinking of transferring now…"

"Hahahaha… good thing I don't go here."

"Now, now. Yancy Academy is a very good institution that is fully capable of giving you a proper education." Mr. Brunner assured. "Regardless of administration…" he mumbled softly.

"Hey!" Astra exclaimed. "He's a fellow fan of Goda!" She crossed her arms underneath her breasts and nodded to herself as if she was pleased, like what she said was reason enough for a raise.

A trio of smacks reverberated in the room as the younger trio's palm met forehead.

"Yes, of course principal." Mr. Brunner indulged the woman knowing from Grover's reports that came from the expert himself, Percy Jackson, that it was useless to argue with the woman on certain things. Besides, he was getting a raise. He actually didn't have reason to complain.

"Now, what else can you tell us Kobayashi-san?

It took an hour before Percy stirred and his eyelids to flutter open. In the span of that one hour, the group talked about a bunch of things from Maria's life in Japan, Mr. Brunner's interesting stories on various myths, Luke's occupation as a college student (he couldn't say camp councilor as his year-round occupation), and Percy's sudden jump in school rankings and his meetings with Ted.

Grover asked if it was really possible for Percy to join all the sports teams, even on a rotational basis. Astra explained that it was possible since Yancy Academy hadn't actually gone that deep into tournaments for scheduling to matter. He might miss a game or two during the season but it won't really matter in the playoffs. Usually, they'd lose at the second round of tournaments. The best they've reached was the quarter-finals of the New York High School Basketball playoffs.

"So theoretically…" Grover started. "It's possible for Percy and Ted to play on different teams if there are scheduling conflicts. I think Yancy would do pretty well, even if there were only one of them on the team." He declared.

"That is if Percy grows properly." Maria interjected. "Isn't he a bit too short right now? Remember earlier at the beginning when he played receiver?"

Grover winced. "Yeah… that was awful. He couldn't really compete with the taller players for the ball when it was up in the air."

"What happened?" Astra asked, Luke and Mr. Brunner also leaning forward on their seats at attention.

They'd heard that Percy scored six touchdowns earlier during the training session but they hadn't really heard how.

"Coach Booker's on leave." Grover was the one who explained. "Ted invited Percy to join the practice, though instead of drills, he managed to get the other guys to go for a full-contact practice match."

"With a sixth-grader on the field?" Luke asked a bit skeptical. He knew Percy was a really fit guy, his bruises could attest to that, but wasn't playing with high schoolers a bit too much?

"The other members of the team were a bit hesitant." Maria explained. "But then that cheeky guy…" She pointed at Percy who was still smiling goofily while Astra wove her fingers through his hair. "got his mouth running and taunted the other members to accept. Ted's friends, Seth Parker and John Anthony, were part of the team and they helped get the game going."

"Ted and Percy were on the same team. John joined them while Seth captained the other team." Grover took over once more. "Ted was quarterback while his friends were linemen. Percy started as a wide receiver but…"

"He was crushed." Maria told them bluntly. "He couldn't even complete a single pass. The other guys just bodied him when he went for a catch. Can't really blame them though, most of them were a foot taller and twice as bulky as Percy."

"But I thought he scored six touchdowns." Mr. Brunner pointed out.

"A few plays into the game, Ted made the strategic decision to move Percy to running back." Grover shot them a proud smile. "They couldn't even touch him after a hand-off. Nine times out of ten, he got first down." Then his smile turned dark. "And then the bastard pulled that stunt."

"What stunt?"

"He got tackled hard during a run." Maria pat Grover's arm comfortingly. "He hit the ground hard and wasn't moving for a minute or so."

"Was that how he got the head injury?" Astra asked, confused. She thought he got it from sword training.

"He faked it." Grover turned his eyes to them. They were dead eyes, though his grin was anything but. You could tell that the boy was still pretty pissed at his friend for his stunt. "He fuckin' faked it! He did it for extra drama!"

"Language Grover." Mr. Brunner reminded gently.

"Ah…" Like a flip was switched, dark Grover was gone and normal Grover returned. "Right… sorry 'bout that."

"Percy got injured during a sparring match with Luke here." Mr. Brunner nodded to the teen. "As he told you earlier, Principal Black, it was an accident. I assure you, Luke had no desire whatsoever to intentionally hurt Percy. I've trained Luke myself for years and is one of the best I've had the pleasure of teaching."

"Really?" Astra turned to the blushing teen. For someone like Chiron, who trained heroes the likes of Heracles, it was an honor to receive such high praise. "How long have you been with Mr. Brunner."

"A little under five years, ma'am."

"Quite impressive. Maybe we can have a spar sometime." Astra told him. "I'm quite good you know. Ask Percy, he saw my collection."

"Duly noted." Luke whispered to himself.

"I actually called him for another, ulterior motive." Mr. Brunner admitted, thinking that maybe having Astra's approval can finally push Percy into accepting his offer. "Luke is a counselor in a summer camp where I'm the activities director. I was hoping that by meeting Luke, Percy would accept my offer of joining."

Astra had a pensive look on her face before shaking her head. "If he doesn't want to… besides, why are you telling me this? Do you think I can somehow make him go?"

"Yes actually." Grover blurted out. A stern look from Mr. Brunner promptly shut him up.

"It's just that we, that is Grover and I, know that you and Percy share a special… bond. We hoped that you could help him make his decision." Brunner explained.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Brunner, but I don't have that kind of sway over Percy. If he doesn't want to go, I can't do anything to make him. He's not mine to order around like that." Astra told them seriously, no trace of the childish Astra but instead a grown woman in front of them. 'Besides, it's the opposite that's true.' She thought to herself.

"Oh no, don't misunderstand. Percy's interested." Mr. Brunner assured. "I've told him some of the activities and it was obvious by his expression that he wanted to go, especially when I told him about our music program."

"Music?" Astra wondered hopefully. "Like guitar and stuff? He was interested in that?"

"Yes ma'am. You should've seen him, he goes every night before bed and listens to music." Grover told the woman who smiled brightly at his words. "And he was always surfing on the internet looking for decently-priced guitars."

"Percy's into music?" Luke asked shooting a questioning look at his mentor. 'Is he one of Apollo's sons?' He asked silently through his gaze.

Mr. Brunner shook his head discreetly answering in the negative before once more adding his own cent to the conversation. "He actually went and asked me about my records." Brunner nodded at his gramophone. "Came in one day and asked to listen to my collection."

"Really?" She asked earning nods of confirmation from Grover and Mr. Brunner.

"He even asked me if I owned a guitar once. He asked if he could borrow it. Too bad I didn't have one." Maria added.

Astra looked at her before looking down at the gently stirring boy. "Maybe I really should've insisted he take my guitar." She mumbled softly.

"Anyways," Mr. Brunner steered the conversation back to camp. "We actually think Percy's only problem with accepting on the spot is his mother. He seems reluctant to leave her alone for the summer."

Those who knew the situation of the Jackson family winced. Meaning, all except Luke. They knew how awful his stepfather was and if they were in his shoes, even they would be reluctant to leave their mom alone with the guy.

"I understand where he's coming from…" Astra started. "His stepfather's a real piece of work, but Sally wouldn't want him to hold back on her behalf."

"To my knowledge, no, I don't think Sally Jackson is the kind of person who would limit Percy."

"Does she know? About camp?"

Mr. Brunner sighed. "I instructed Percy to ask her after I gave him my preposition. I do not, however, know if he has informed her."

"Okay then. I'll run it by Sally the next time we meet. We all know how stubborn Percy could be sometimes. He might just decide by himself to decline without asking anyone." Astra announced making Brunner smile in triumph. He planned to get Percy on board by meeting and befriending Luke but the results were better than he expected. If nothing else, he was sure that Sally Jackson would be added to the loop and he already expected that the woman had some kind of inkling that Percy's years blissful ignorance was almost up.

"When'd you meet with mom again?" Someone broke in the conversation.

The group wondered where the new voice came from. It wasn't any of them and… Grover noticed Percy's opened eyes.

"Percy?" Grover asked softly, looking at the boy's form lying down on the couch. "You okay buddy?"

"Ugh… not okay… still a little stiff… but good enough I guess…" Percy tried to get up from his lying position but a gentle pressure pushing down on his chest made him plop back down onto the comfortable pillows under his head.

"Hey you." Astra whispered as she smiled down at him, showing him her pearly whites while she squeezed one of his hands – the one connected to the arm that had circled around her waist earlier. Her platinum blonde hair cascaded around them as she bent her neck to look down at him, hiding their faces from the other occupants of the room.

It was their own little world.

"Hey." Percy whispered back, looking up at her groggily but a goofy smile was on his face. He gave her hand a returning squeeze and nuzzled into her blouse, inhaling that familiar orange and rose-petal scent. "How many times is it now that we've done this?" His muffled voice sounded out, still nuzzling her belly.

"Done what?"

"This." He put some pressure onto her lap using his head. "It feels so nice lying on you like this."

"You're silly. We've done this only three times. You weren't even conscious for two of them." She replied. First time was in the museum. Second was after he utterly destroyed the bastards that almost ruined their date. The last was this. "And I'm happy you feel like that." She said locking her eyes with his. "Because this won't be the last time. I like watching you sleep in my lap."

Percy chuckled. "You really kept count?" He asked teasingly. "You watch me in my sleep? Geez… creepy much?

"Hey. You asked." She pouted at him for a moment before she suddenly broke out into a fit of giggles. "And are you really surprised?"

"Not really…" Percy admitted. "I like when you're weird." Then his face got all serious as he stared at her, so close that he only had to sit up just a tad and he could kiss her. He wanted to, oh was he sorely tempted to do just that, but instead he softened his eyes and uttered words that Astra already knew. "I missed you."

Her giggles abruptly came to a halt as the words reached her ears and his expression struck something inside her chest. "I know."

"Did you just reference Sta-"

"I missed you too."

She looked at him with the eyes that he loved so dearly. Her gaze tempting him. Asking him. Pleading him. 'Kiss me'

He didn't need any more than that. Her eyes were enough to convey just how much she wanted it. Almost as much as he did. Enough to want to break their promise, just for today.

' _the kindest, bravest, most loyal…'_

Before he could sit up just enough or she could lean down the tiniest bit to close the distance between them, a sliver of sound slipped through her hair that was the curtain that separated them from the entire world.

A dignified clearing of someone's throat.

"Ehem."

There was only one person who was currently with them who could make such a sound.

"As much as I enjoy watching your little reunion…" Mr. Brunner was obviously amused. Percy could hear the mirth in his voice. "You do know we could all hear you, right?"

Percy reached up and drew some of Astra's silky hair aside, just enough so that he could take a peek at the outside world.

From that little sliver of daylight that was exposed, Percy saw Mr. Brunner's face. He had wheeled his chair close to the couch. He had a jovial expression on his face but Percy could also detect a slight blush creeping in from his neck.

Pulling the curtains of lustrous blonde locks a bit more to the side, Percy saw the state the others were in. They were all red-faced, from what he did not know. It could have been from anger, embarrassment or anything else. The only thing he was half-sure of, and what rightly pissed him off, was Grover's face. It was red, like everyone else's but there was an obvious clue as to what was the cause.

He was trying his damn best to not laugh his ass off.

* * *

"Hey there's Gregor." Percy pointed out as they were walking to their next class, a finger raised in the direction their friend was. "It's been awhile? Let's go say hi."

"uhh… yeah. C'mon, let's go." Grover followed his more mobile friend at a slower pace, crutching his way to Gregor Walden. Percy had already gone ahead a few paces before noticing Grover's situation and dropped his speed until they were walking side by side.

It'd been a while since they last talked. With Gregor commuting to school daily cutting a significant chunk of time he had for the school day and making him absent for weekend shenanigans with the gang, as well as having shared only a single class with the boy – the class being P.E. – Percy and Grover had been somewhat neglecting their friend.

"Hey Greg!" Percy called out as they reached the boy, a wide grin on his face. "It felt like it's been months! What's your next class? How've you been?" He asked in quick succession, clapping Gregor on the shoulder.

"Heya Perce! Grove!" Gregor turned to them, shooting a shaky smile at his friends. "I've got Algebra next."

The trio of boys winced in unison. It had been a glorious week of Mrs. Kerr substituting but the moment the leather-clad hell lady known as Mrs. Dodds returned, everything went back to normal. Nancy got back on her pedestal and was nearly untouchable as long as the woman was around and Percy and his friends were back to hiding away during class.

Suffice to say that the majority of students desperately wished for Mrs. Kerr to come back full time.

"That's rough dude…" Percy commented, sincerely feeling for the boy. "We've got history next so we'll just be listening to a lecture all period."

"Lucky you." Gregor grumbled. "I'd just been reading this," He nodded to the poster on the wall. "and well…" He trailed off. Gregor didn't know how to explain the inner turmoil that he was experiencing.

On the one hand, if he won, then the last prize was something that could really help his family. Besides, he was almost guaranteed to win a sword fight. He'd faced giant rats and snakes before after all. He doubted his completion had experience like he had. He was a goddamn hero to a whole civilization! He had senses that let him see in the dark! It was impossible for him to lose.

On the other, though he was a shoe-in for first place, he was afraid his being a Rager could make him lose control. He didn't want to hurt his classmates, even Nancy, annoying as she was. And after what happened to his dear partner, he didn't know if he wanted to hold a sword again.

Grover took a look at the said poster. On it was an image of the coliseum and big bold red letters in the gaudiest font Grover had ever seen. It was almost shouting to the world for attention.

' _YANCY ACADEMY 1_ _st_ _ANNUAL SWORD TOURNAMENT! WATCH THE STUDENTS WHO RECENTLY VISITED THE GRECO-ROMAN EXHIBIT BATTLE IT OUT! THIS MAY 28th_

 _Registration still ongoing_

 _Prizes:_

 _Extra Credit for a number of classes_

 _Sword Tournament Trophy_

 _One Request from School Administration (requests to be discussed beforehand)_

 _Please contact Mr. Brunner of the Latin Department for more information_ '

The date was something new. As far as Grover knew, which was a lot considering he'd just had a chat with the organizers a few days ago, they hadn't decided on a date yet. Until now, it seems.

May 28th was a week after final exams and a couple of days before summer vacation. Guess they wanted the tournament to be the last event of the year.

"Are you interested, Greg?" Grover asked the boy as Percy was still trying to read the poster.

"Maybe. I don't know yet?"

"What's it say? I can't read it." Percy asked his friends. He tried to do his best at reading the text on the page but the font was a bit too much for his dyslexic eyes. His reading and spelling skills were loads ahead of the dismal level they were before but there were somethings that still gave him trouble.

"It's a poster for the tournament." Grover explained, reading the whole poster out loud for the benefit of his friend.

"Huh. I thought the prize was a taking Astra out to dinner?"

"Well…" Grover gave him a cheeky smile which Gregor mirrored immediately. "If you want a date with _Astra_ ," He put emphasis on the name Percy called their esteemed principal. "why don't you ask her."

"Yeah Perce… I'm suuure she'd accept. After all, you looked pretty cozy back in the museum entrance… A lap pillow Percy? Really?"

Percy rolled his eyes at the teasing. "You saw that Greg?"

"Yep."

"Me too."

"Wasn't it just the sweetest thing?"

"It was. I could feel the ants scrambling to get to the sugar sweetness that was them."

"You should've seen them after. She just ambushed him in this really sexy outfit! His face was gold! Or when we were all in Mr. Brunner's office last Sunday."

"Oooh… I haven't heard of that! What'd they do?"

"They went on a date… he didn't get home until afternoon the next day. And they were whispering to each other in the office while she gave him a lap pillow." Grover faked a sob and wiped an imaginary tear from his eye. "They grow up so fast."

"Shut up guys." Percy groaned out, prompting the teasing pair to burst into fits of laughter. It too them a minute until they stopped, mainly because Percy was annoyed at being the butt of the joke and slapped them into silence. "No seriously. Wasn't the prize dinner?"

"I remember that too, but I guess they changed it." Gregor gestured once more to the last prize. "What do you think they meant by request?"

"You were passed out when we discussed this back in Mr. Brunner's office, Percy." Grover started shedding light on the subject. "Mr. Brunner convinced Principal Black that dinner might be a bit too… risqué?... as a prize." He said with a straight face that morphed into another teasing smirk. "And I pointed out how jealous you would be if someone else won. She said she'd change the prizes after that. Why'd you think she did?"

"Oooh oooh! Me! Me!" Gregor raised his arm and started waving it around frantically like he was in class.

"Yes Mr. Walden."

"In my amateur opinion on the thoughts of the fairer sex, Mr. Underwood, I would say that the reason for the subject's decision pertains to one Mr. Jackson and his tendency to be a possessive shit." Gregor explained seriously, like it was just another question in class before his mouth curled into a teasing smile. "After all, he wouldn't even share some bread with his friends."

"I concur, Mr. Walden. I wanted a taste of that baguette as well. Twenty points to Slytherin for such a well-reasoned argument."

"Okay, okay. That's enough teasing. Geez, Grover. You get worse every day." Percy called out as his he rubbed his aching head. Won't these two just shut up about Astra and him?

"Thank you!" Grover said with a very bright smile on his face.

"It wasn't a compliment."

"Still, thank you!" To Percy's surprise, the smile never even wavered on the usually nervous boy's face.

"Ugh. Please don't help him Greg."

Said boy's only response was a silent grin.

"God help me."

* * *

A.N.

Sorry guys. I planned to post a earlier this week an even longer chapter but the internet has been acting up. I live in a small town where the only half-decent internet service provider is just that. Half-decent. The speed is good, sure, but they have maintenance periods that could last for days. Sometimes even for a full week. It wouldn't have been too bad but they just do it so often that you just get pissed sometimes. Though to be fair, there was a storm that passed by a couple of days ago so...

Anyways, I just realized how hard it is to write a story without being able to google stuff. I tried writing a bit when the internet was down and I. JUST. COULDN'T. DO. IT.  
So apologies if the chapter is a bit sub-par.

This chapter was mostly character development on the OCs and the introduction of Luke. Tell me, did you guys like how I put him in? I bet no one saw that coming!

I know that I've broken nearly 100k words and I still haven't gotten to camp. I'm thinking of having the minotaur fight next chapter so rest assured, demigod stuff is coming. And next chapter will be action packed with the end of the year exams (a battle unto itself), the sword tournament, the three ladies knitting beside the fruit stand and the minotaur fight so stay tuned!

Also, someone offered to make cover art for this fic and I'm so thankful and so excited. Hopefully, he'll pull through but even if he doesn't (I know he's busy. He's doing a crap ton of other art for more popular fics) I'm grateful that someone even offered! If you're reading this, thanks man!

No promises on the next update 'cause the internet is still a bit buggy. I actually planned to include the sword tournament this chapter but I was afraid I'd the measly internet connection I currently have and be delayed further because I really wanted to post a chapter this week.

Anyhow, read and review! We're at 76 reviews as I post this chapter so hopefully, we'll be breaking 100 soon!

Bye guys!


	9. So I can Ogle, You can Look?

Percy Jackson and Andromeda's Lament

A.N.

Okay guys. First things first, I am absolutely sorry that this chapter took almost a month. It's just my relatives borrowed my laptop for school but I know that's no excuse. I'm seriously way behind schedule. To make things worse, I haven't even delivered with my last announcement that I'll be including the minotaur fight. And I'm so guilty that this story reached 100 reviews and it was right before a late chapter.

Again, I'm sorry. I just wanted to post this as soon as possible so that you won't think this story was abandoned or that I died or something.

Anyways, to make up for the long absence, I'll try my best to update this weekend. Next Wednesday at the latest.

Now, apology done, on to the next chapter.

Warning: Lime in this chapter!

* * *

Chapter 8: So… I can Ogle, You can Look?

Here she was once more sitting in some restaurant that she had no right to be in. Well, at least she felt that way as the other patrons sneered and scoffed at her red and blue candy saleswoman uniform.

The restaurant she was in was obviously catered to the more opulent of customers. The décor and the overall atmosphere produced by the place just oozed of luxury, obviously meant to bring the customer a sense of lavish comfort.

For Sally, who worked in something as mundane as a candy store and whose home life was anything but fancy, it made her feel uneasy.

Considering she was alone as her companion had yet to arrive, it only added to her discomfort. They'd agreed to meet for lunch at the end of their last outing. Usually, she was picked up from her workplace but recent circumstances complicated their usual procedure. Instead, she was asked to wait for her associate at the restaurant and right now, she was sorely regretting it.

She noticed a waiter approach one of the more populated tables – one filled with good-looking men and women around college age and wearing designer clothes that looked like they cost more than her whole wardrobe combined – and converse with the man sitting at the head.

Their exchanged words were no more than hushed whispers that Sally had no chance of overhearing in such a populated restaurant but the message was clear when the man tried, and failed, to point discreetly at her table.

Great. Now they were going to kick her out. Hopefully her friend would arrive soon.

Honestly, Sally had stopped counting the number of times she had spent her lunch breaks or when lucky, Sunday brunch, with the woman known as Astra Black.

It had started around a week after first meeting the woman her son brought to her workplace. She'd suddenly received a call from said woman inviting her to lunch, which made her wonder how her number wound up in the woman's possession since they only met once before and she didn't give Astra her contact number.

In the intervening months since then until now, she had been receiving sporadic calls and invitations – with her offering an occasional invitation as well – to more outings with the woman, usually for lunch. At times, when the pig she had the misfortune of calling husband allowed it, they went for Sunday brunch. So far, this only happened once since Sally usually spent her Sundays waiting Gabe and his friends on his weekly poker games.

Well, not this time.

Sally usually took the Sundays off from work – which only led to more work for her at home – but she had to cover for one of her co-workers. It wasn't something that normally happened but it at least led Sally to have Sunday brunch with her friend, though she kinda cheated by having some toast before she left the apartment and started her shift.

Sally honestly liked the woman. Astra Black was younger than her but also more successful, more driven, more interesting and Sally was even humble enough to admit that the Miss Black was also more beautiful than her when she was at that age.

Furthermore, Astra Black was a sweetheart. It was no wonder that her son, as dense as he was, had some form of attraction to the woman and if her eyes weren't deceiving her, Astra felt the same for her son.

Sally Jackson might have attracted a god, but Astra Black had attracted her son. In Sally's book, that made the beautiful blonde the better woman. But the reverse was also true, Astra Black was smitten with Percy Jackson, and as any mother would when their son was in a relationship, she was afraid that her son might have bit off more than he could chew.

That fear was quickly being put to rest the more time she spent with the woman. It seemed that Astra genuinely liked Percy, at least from her own observations and all through all the doubts that Sally had and all the barriers that kept them apart – their age, their occupations, the difference of their wealth – she was actually okay with them together.

If Sally had fallen in love with a deity that was thousands of years older than her, then a ten-year or so gap was nothing. After all Sally had been through, she knew that age was just a number. They just had to be careful that Percy doesn't get made. He might start maturing faster because of his lineage but it didn't change the fact that he was underage. Sally didn't want Astra to go to prison.

If having a principal-student relationship while having a romantic relationship might cause them trouble, then all Percy had to do was transfer or something. It wasn't like he wasn't used to switching schools and Sally was sure that he'd do it in a heartbeat if it was necessary to be with Astra.

If their wealth was the problem, then Percy just had to work hard to close the gap. Besides, not everyone was as judgmental as the people she was currently sharing breathing space with.

The biggest thing that might come between the two was Percy's condition. It was something that might even make her lose her son. She felt it was coming. Percy had been growing too quickly for her tastes and soon, she might have to relinquish him for his own good. If that happened, she didn't know how the two would stay together and that worried her.

It would be a shame because Sally thought they looked really cute together.

Though sometimes, like right now, she just wanted to throttle that childish lady. Figuratively, of course. She wouldn't actually hurt the woman, she was quickly becoming a good friend.

Why did they have to get lunch in a place like this? There was a perfectly nice diner right across the street with burgers and fries that Sally knew were to die for. It was obvious that the other patrons weren't particularly pleased with her presence. Some of them were even hostile, judging from the looks some of the others were shooting her. The waiter from earlier was actually making his approach now.

Probably to ask her to kindly exit the premises.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" The waiter asked her snootily. He was wearing a white shirt and vest with black slacks, black leather shoes and a black bowtie. "Are you ready to order?"

"I'm waiting for someone, thanks." Sally replied kindly, ignoring the disdain in the man's voice. He tilted his head up and looked down at her down his nose like she was someone beneath him.

"Terribly sorry," Although the words were apologetic, his tone was definitely not. "But your… attire… does not meet with this establishment's dress code." Sally had a feeling that she wanted to call her uniform something that was much more scathing. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave, ma'am. There are some regulars that find your presence… disparaging." His eyes shifted in the direction of the table that she noticed earlier, the one filled with rich-looking young adults, before quickly shifting back to hers.

"You have a dress code for Sunday brunch?" Sally asked disbelievingly.

"Yes." The waiter replied stiffly.

Sally subtly looked at the table and noticed the overall mirth and amusement that was permeating the occupants, likely at her expense. They were probably unemployed twenty-somethings that relied on daddy or mommy for money, at least judging by their youthful faces and their clothes which were actually less formal yet obviously more expensive than her clothes.

It was clear that the waiter was simply pulling something out of his ass to make her leave and presumably earn a big tip from the wealthier crowd he just spoke with.

"My friend is about to arrive…" Sally said as she once more turned her gaze to the waiter who was asking her to leave. "She'll be in any minu-"

"I insist." His tone of voice brooked no room for argument. "Please make your way to the exit."

Sally sighed.

"Very well…" She shouldered her purse and started walking towards the exits, silently passing the snooty waiter whose mouth twisted into a victorious smirk as she went by. Sally didn't notice. She kept her head raised and looked forward, a lazy smile determinedly affixed on her face.

She walked proudly even through the humiliation she was put through. Her smile did not falter even as she passed the other customers. Her head did not lower even as the presumed trust-fund babies renewed their laughter as she passed.

This was nothing. The humiliation, the crude treatment of herself because of her clothes, the way she was treated like dirt was nothing compared to her life at home. She could bear this easily, the barbs and arrows shot at her by the condescending waiter and the rude customers simply bounced off of her scarred soul. Gabe could do worse. Gabe did do worse. Her life was worse.

But she could bear it. She would. Everything, even Gabe and all his abuse.

For the blue birthday cakes and cookies. For the weekends spent in their special cabin. For those sea-green eyes and that grin that lit up her whole world. For those soft raven locks that she ran her fingers through. For little red dresses and cartwheels. For stuffed wolves and afternoons on the piano.

She'd bear everything for her child.

Wait… what?

"I hope you've had a good meal! Please come again!" She was greeted as she exited the restaurant, breaking her out of her reverie. The receptionist, a pretty red-head with pale skin and an overabundance of freckles, who was likely unaware of what happened inside shot her a beaming smile which made her forget what she was thinking about.

"Yeah! I'll be sure to come back." Sally smiled kindly back at the girl. She didn't blame her for what happened on the main floor and at least the smile she received was warm. Sally needed that after all the scathing looks.

Walking past the receptionist who opened the door for her, Sally was trying to remember her previous thoughts. Her mind had went off on a tangent, the treatment she received back inside the restaurant making her remember how bad things in her life what and requiring her to think of the things that made everything worth it. She was thinking quickly and rapidly, enumerating all the things and experiences that brightened up her life.

She had been thinking about Percy… right?

* * *

"Sally!" Astra greeted the woman as she arrived, her arms moving to wrap the woman in a friendly hug. "Were you waiting long?"

"Not really…" Sally replied, a demure smile on her face.

Astra raised a finely manicured eyebrow at the older woman. "Okay…" She didn't know what it was, but Sally looked a bit down. "Let's go inside then. I'm starving!" She reached out to take the woman's arm, disregarding all notions about personal space, and tried to drag Sally along. Maybe she'd feel better after food. After all, Astra always felt better after a good meal.

"Actually Astra…" Sally started, planting her feet on the concrete, halting their movement. "I'm sorta feeling for some burgers and milkshakes." She nodded to the diner across the street. "Can we go there instead?" Actually, she just didn't want to go back to where all the stares and the whispers were. She wasn't masochistic to enjoy being humiliated and looked down upon.

"Uh…" Astra looked at the restaurant, thinking of the delicious eggs benedict she knew they had, then turned her head and looked at the aforementioned diner. She could see a tray of burgers, fries and milkshakes from the window. It did look yummy. She gnawed on her pink lower lip and alternatingly gazed at the two eateries, a mask of indecision on her face.

Sally was watching Astra who looked like she was making a life-or-death decision. She failed to smother an involuntary chuckle when a bit of drool slipped through her mouth – exactly like how Percy sometimes did when he was asleep. She was a bit worried, though she gave Astra all the time she needed to come to a decision. Sally really didn't want to go back to the restaurant and face that waiter again.

Astra gave one final longing look at the restaurant, thinking of the exquisite hollandaise sauce that she wouldn't be eating today, before resolutely turning to the diner. "Okay! Sure! Let's go!" She locked arms with the mother of her Percy and the pair headed to the diner entrance arm in arm. "Think they have pie?"

"I'm sure they do. And dear…"

"Yes?"

"You have a little something on your…" Sally pointed to the corner of her mouth.

"Ah…" Astra reached up to wipe at her face… completely missing the drool stain.

"Other side."

"Right."

"No, left." Sally corrected.

"I mean… right as in…" Astra sputtered, finally successfully wiping away the drool at the corner of her mouth, before noticing the look Sally was sporting. A wide grin was on her face. "You were having me on, weren't you!? How could you!?" She shot the older woman a playful glare, though you could tell that she was also somewhat amused.

"Sorry. Couldn't resist." Sally admitted, chuckling softly.

"Geez. That was mean Sally…" Astra pouted indignantly for a moment before breaking out into an amused smile. "It was pretty funny though… in a bad joke kind of way."

They entered the diner and was assaulted with the smells of different food being cooked wafting from the kitchen and the general noise produced by the establishment. It was not quite the time for the lunch rush but the diner still had a considerable number of customers. Sally even thought that there were more people here than in the other restaurant.

Astra's mouth watered as she smelled burgers cooking on the grill and the sound of the crackling oil as different food was fried. She couldn't wait to order.

"Just the two of you then? Sit anywhere you like." An older woman, around Sally's age, wearing an apron over her clothes called out to them as they entered. "I'll be with you in a moment." She was balancing a tray of food while weaving in and out of way of various tables, chairs and the occasional customer.

 _Ding_

"Order up."

"Can you get that Annie!" The older waitress yelled to another waitress, a younger looking girl that could pass of as her daughter.

"Sure mom!"

Sally and Astra watched one of the waitresses, Annie presumably, pick up a plate of eggs and bacon from the kitchen window to deliver to a guy sitting on the counter.

"Where do you wanna sit?" Astra asked Sally as she perused the food selection posted above the counter. Good. They had pie.

"I think there are some open booths over there." Sally pointed deeper inside the diner.

"Okay, sounds good." Astra said walking towards the back.

There was a vacant booth, right beside a window, which the duo sat down in.

"So…" Sally began once they got comfortable. "Anything new?"

"Yep! I've finally managed to get the pterodactyl skeleton!" Astra replied excitedly. "It's just a replica, since I couldn't get my hands on the real thing but it's still gonna be really cool. I picked them up just before I got here and they're in a few bags in my car right now. I just need to assemble it then I'll have it hanging above my office."

"That sounds a cool."

"Mhm… I also got a new gumball machine installed. Which was a mistake, since now I can't concentrate on my work!" Astra said, her arms moving around in exaggerated gestures.

Sally laughed. "I can see how that's a problem."

Astra nodded vehemently. "Yeah! Good thing I'm not too busy… oh! And we've decided on the date for the tournament."

"Oh?" Sally raised an eyebrow. "Seems like it took a long time for you to finalize the date. When?"

"After the exams. May 28th."

"So just before school let's out… that seems like a nice time to do it, with it being the end of the year and all."

"That was exactly what I thought." Astra pointed a finger at her to accentuate her point. "We're pretty smart, huh?" She shot the older woman a dazzling smile.

Sally returned her smile indulgently. "Great minds think alike." She agreed. "How's Percy? Is he training hard?"

Astra's mood sobered. "Yeah… about that…"

They were interrupted when a waitress, the mother, approached their table to take their order.

"Hey there! I haven't seen you before… first timers?" Astra and Sally nodded. "Great! I'm Jo. Welcome to Charlie's! You'll love it here. My husband makes just the most wonderful food. What'll you have?"

Shooting Sally and apologetic look, conveying with eyes alone that they'll continue the conversation after the meal, Astra answered Jo. "Hello Jo. I'm Astra. That's Sally. What do you recommend?"

"Our specialty is the cheeseburgers…" Jo replied. "Though everything in the menu is pretty good, if I might say so myself."

"Great… so…" Astra tried to look at the menu up above the counter. It was a bit hard to read seeing that they were near the very back of the diner, but Astra could make it out still. "We'll have some of those cheeseburgers…" She shot Sally a questioning look while Jo brought out a notepad to write down their orders.

"That sounds good." Sally confirmed.

"Right. Two orders of cheeseburgers…" At that moment, the daughter passed by carrying a plate of cheeseburgers and Astra got a whiff of the delicious smell. "Actually, make it three. They come with French fries?" Jo nodded. "Great. Add an extra order of fries… Then…"

"I meant they came with fries, in case I wasn't clear enough." Jo interjected.

"Oh, don't worry. I understood perfectly." She smiled at Jo.

"Right. Got it." Jo wrote down the order on her pad and started to make her way to leave when Astra stopped her.

"Where are you going? We've got more to order." She looked back at the menu. "I'm starving. We'll have a plate of pancakes too. Do you want some Sally?"

"Sure, dear."

"Make that two. Add an order of eggs and bacon. Eggs over easy, please. Then…" She squinted, trying to read the menu. "Steak? Is that right?"

"That's steak and mash." Jo clarified, now honestly wondering how these two relatively tiny women were gonna eat all of this food.. "We also do steak and eggs if you want."

"I'll have some steak. With potatoes." Jo nodded and scribbled it down on her pad. "What else… oh right. Drinks." Astra looked to Sally. "What do you think?"

"Milkshakes?" Sally suggested.

"Right. Silly me. Two milkshakes. And a glass of orange juice." She looked to Sally who shook her head. "Right. Two milkshakes and one orange juice." Astra finished. "Can you please repeat that?"

Jo read out loud what she got written down, slowly getting more and more incredulous as she went farther and farther into her notes and Astra nodded approvingly.

"I saw you had pie?" Astra asked after Jo finished.

"Yep! We have apple, banana cream and blueberry." Jo confirmed. "Do you want a slice?"

"Yes please. One of each."

"Great! Is that all?" Jo asked, having learned her lesson the first time she tried to leave.

"I think that's enough for now." Sally answered, seeing Astra was about to order some more. Said woman pouted at her. "At least for now. We'll call you later if we want more." Astra stopped pouting at that, replaced by a winning smile.

"Okay. Food will be right out." Jo said before taking her leave, whistling a jaunty tune.

"Really dear? That was a lot of food you ordered. Are you sure you can finish it all?" Astra nodded confidently. "You know, you'll get fat if you eat too much…"

"But I'm huuungryyy…" Astra protested. "Besides, I'm going to Yancy after this to finish my pterodactyl and I don't know how long that will take so I'm eating a lot so I won't get hungry later…" She defended. "And, I won't get fat!"

Sally chuckled. "What would Percy think if he was with us?" She wondered to herself aloud, watching for Astra's reaction.

"Hmph!" Astra crossed her arms under her breasts and let out a huff. "If Percy were here, he would have ordered more."

"Right. Silly me." Sally then once again asked about how Percy was doing.

It wasn't long before their orders came and they dug into their meal with gusto. They were talking about one of their favorite subjects while they ate, Percy.

The burgers were the first to go and Jo was right when she said they were specialties. The patty was big and meaty, with a bold taste and a melt-in-your-mouth texture. The sauce was amazing, some kind of mayo or something, with ketchup. Then there was the cheese. One slice of cheese above and one below the patty, with another chunk mixed in with the meat. The buns were also nice and toasty and with the lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes and other vegetables, the burger also had a crispness to it. It was exquisite.

The pancakes were nice and fluffy inside. It was like eating a cloud. They also received some maple syrup and Astra being Astra nearly drowned her pancakes in the stuff.

The eggs were just what Astra ordered. Cooked well, with the outsides crispy but with the yolks still runny. The bacon was also really nice and crispy but it was too small a serving. Three measly strips. Astra kinda wished there was more of it.

The steak was okay. A bit too tough for Astra's tastes but it posed no problem. It still tasted pretty good and the potatoes were decent.

Astra near inhaled the food, though she somehow still ate in a dignified manner. It wasn't long before all they were doing was dipping their fries in their milkshakes and enjoying their pie.

"Hmm… guess this is the apple one." Astra said as she took another forkful. "It's pretty good. What did you get?"

"Banana." Sally answered. "It's good. Wanna switch?"

"I was just about to ask!" Astra said and the two switched plates, Astra getting the banana cream pie and Sally getting the apple pie. The blueberry pie was left untouched on their table. They could split it later.

"So, what was it you were saying?" Sally asked as they swapped one more time and finally finished their slices.

"You know he got scouted right?" Astra asked as she took the blueberry pie and ate a forkful. She slid the plate to Sally who took a forkful of her own.

"By uh… Ted Bird?" Sally asked, sliding the slice of pie back to Astra.

"Robins. Ted Robins, our resident sports prodigy." Astra said, trying to return the slice across the table but Sally stopped her. Shrugging her shoulders – _'More for me'_ – she started finishing the pie.

"Right." Sally nodded. She remembered Astra telling her this but it was a few months and she was a bit blurry on the details.

"No, left." Astra shot back with a wink.

"Haha. Good one."

"Anyways, Percy played football last week." Astra continued her story.

"That's nice. Did he have fun?"

"Yep! He really showed those high schoolers! I heard he scored six touchdowns."

Sally was nodding along as Astra spoke before she froze suddenly, her words registering. "Wait… high schoolers?" She asked worriedly.

"He participated in the team practice so of course he was playing with high schoolers." Astra confirmed.

"Is he alright? Was he hurt?" Sally asked hurriedly, her motherly instincts reacting to her baby in danger.

"He's fine. I told you, he had fun. And he scored six touchdowns!"

Sally started nibbling on her lip in worry. "I don't think I'm comfortable with Percy doing things like that…" She knew Percy was growing up and that he had a physiology that was naturally superior to mere mortals, but she couldn't help being concerned that he was playing with guys twice his size in such a violent sport. "Do you think you could…"

"Sally." Astra interrupted, making the woman look up at her.

Sally saw the seriousness in Astra's gaze, the usually warm blue eyes replaced by steely, cobalt orbs.

"Percy is… he's…" Astra looked like she was grasping for the right words to convey her thoughts. "You know, the night before we first met, Percy and I went on a date." She said finally.

"What?" Sally asked, off balanced by the sudden change in subject.

"Yeah. We went on a date. I was in this really pretty dress and Percy looked really handsome in this suit I got him." Astra went on, sighing contentedly at the memory, her fingers twirling in her platinum blonde hair, unconcerned by the confusion that Sally was feeling. "It was after the field trip, see. I ambushed him in the parking lot and we went to dinner."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"After our date…" Astra continued, ignoring the question. "We ran into these thugs. They were surrounding my car. I'm pretty sure they were planning to steal it when they saw me and they decided they wanted me too." She explained.

"Oh dear…" Sally reached out to hold the other woman's hand. She was still kinda lost on why they were talking about this but she wanted to at least give comfort to her friend. It couldn't have been easy talking about this. "Are you okay? What happened?"

Astra nodded, giving Sally's hand a squeeze, before letting go. "I was alright. They didn't get away with anything." She raised her head and looked Sally straight in the eyes. "Percy didn't let them."

Sally gasped. "What do you mean?"

"There were five, maybe six guys. I can't really remember." Astra told her. "But Percy beat them all up. There was this one guy who was huge. Maybe seven-foot. Then the others had weapons." Astra looked far out like she was remembering the scene. The pained groaning of the thugs, the pattering of the rain on the asphalt, the raw fury in Percy's voice, the loud bang of a gunshot. Astra relived everything.

Even the way she felt, the tingling below her belly and the wetness of her underwear at the sight of Percy exerting his dominance on the inferior male species, proving he was a true alpha.

"They had knives and chains and crowbars. One of them even had a gun."

Sally's hand went up to cover her gaping mouth as tears started pooling in her eyes. Her baby went up against that? She gulped. "Was… was he okay? He… Percy looked fine when you visited. What happened?"

"They didn't stand a chance." Astra said in a deadpan. "Percy beat them all up and all he got were a few scratches and bruises from rolling around on the ground."

"But… how?" Sally asked, disbelieving. Her son was good, it was in his blood, but without training?

"That doesn't matter. What matters is this: Percy is growing into a wonderful man. He already promised me he'd be the best man in the world." Astra told the mother. "And we can't hold him back, Sally. He should be allowed to take care of himself."

Sally gave those words some thought. Astra was right, of course. Sally already knew that but it was hard to let go of Percy. She still though of him as her baby. "You're right." Sally said, going against her motherly instincts. It was time to let Percy fly out of the nest. Maybe she'd tell him about camp. She nodded to herself, firming up her resolve.

That was a decision made.

Still, there was something she was curious about. "But how did he win against those thugs?"

Astra scrunched up her eyebrows and fiddled with her fingers nervously. Should she tell? She looked at Sally, the mother of someone so very important to her. The one person who loved him almost just as much as she did.

"It was raining." Astra finally said after a few moments of awkward silence, surprising Sally. Did she somehow know?

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean." Astra gulped nervously. She sincerely hoped her uncle wasn't watching. Hopefully he wouldn't be too mad she took this risk. "It was raining and Percy got soaked in water."

"Astra…" Sally's jaw dropped in surprise before her expression hardened. "Who are you really? What do you want with Percy. If you do anything to him I'll-"

"You don't have to worry, Sally." Astra interrupted. "I know you love Percy very much. Maybe as much as I do. He saved my life. Everything I am is thanks to him. I belong to him." She announced boldly, making Sally blush.

"That's why… that's why I'm trusting you with this, Sally." She reached out to grip one of Sally's hand in hers once more but Sally flinched and she dropped her hand back into her lap, her head lowering in disappointment. "You can't tell anyone. This is a secret between you and me and my uncle. No one else knows and it has to be kept like that. At least until after he comes back."

"What are you talking about?"

"I can't tell you everything, but you have to trust me." She raised her head and looked Sally right in the eye. There was no sign of malice or dishonesty in her gaze and Sally reached out and let Astra hold onto her hand. "You have to trust me, Sally. Percy is everything to me. Everything I do is for him." Astra squeezed Sally's hand. "Please, believe me."

Sally gave her hand a comforting squeeze and sent her a tentative smile, though her eyes were still hard. "Tell me." The least she could do for the person she knew as Astra Black, even though that even that might have been a lie, was to listen.

* * *

Percy was walking through the halls of Yancy with a conflicted heart. His destination? Principal's office.

It was somewhere Percy was no stranger to. He'd spent a lot of time in Astra's office over the year. This time, however, things were weird.

Grover and he were in the library, finishing up a history assignment, when one of the student librarians – another scholarship student – approached them with a missive. Percy was to come to the principal's office. Immediately.

He didn't do anything to warrant a visit to the Principal's office. He was busy all week with training and schoolwork. He didn't even have time to himself, let alone cause trouble.

Furthermore, it was Sunday. This was the second time in a row that Astra was in Yancy on a Sunday. Her schedule was a bit like a scholarship student – going home after a school day and spending weekdays away from Yancy.

So, he was worried. Did he do something that he didn't realize and now he was in trouble for it? Did someone frame him? Was he even in trouble?

But aside from the worry, he was also a bit excited. Astra was there. It had only been a week since the time at the Mr. Brunner's with the lap pillow but for Percy that had already been too long.

It didn't help that the last time they met face to face, Percy was a second away from kissing her. He'd been stewing over the fact that they got interrupted the whole week, much to the amusement of Grover.

Astra.

He wondered what she was up to. Maybe she just wanted to see him? Maybe she missed him? Maybe…

" _Mr. Jackson!" Astra called out to him with the full force of her authority as the Principal of Yancy Academy. Percy found himself in her office, sitting on a comfy leather armchair in front of Astra's desk. The room was dim, with the only light in the room being the scarce amount of sunlight slipping in through the closed curtains. The door was locked._

" _Mr. Jackson!" Astra called once more and he saw movement from the corner of his eye. His gaze following, Percy caught first sight of her and he gasped._

 _She was in an outfit that got Percy's pulse racing and his blood pumping to a particular organ._

 _a white long-sleeved blouse with the first few buttons undone and exposing a healthy amount of cleavage and her black laced bra_

 _a short black pencil skirt, her black laced panties winking at him every time she took a step_

 _a pair of thigh high stockings, secured by black garters that disappeared into her skirt and accentuated her sexy legs_

 _high heels that made her stand on the very tips of her toes that made her ass, thighs and legs that much more attractive_

 _her platinum blonde hair tied up with a few loose strands framing her beautiful face and exposing her slender, graceful neck_

 _ruby red lips, full and seductive_

 _a pair of black rimmed glasses that gave her that hot librarian look and magnified her big blue eyes_

 _Percy's pants had gone unbelievably tight._

" _You've been a very naughty boy…" Astra cooed, walking around him and periodically slapping a plastic ruler on her palm. "Very naughty…" She whispered in his ear, making him shiver._

 _She sauntered to the front of her desk and leaned her ravishing body against the table. "What do you have to say for yourself?" She asked him._

 _Percy ignored the question, too focused on the pair of seductive thighs right in his face._

 _Getting annoyed at the snub, Astra hit the arm of Percy's chair with her ruler. "Well boy!" She asked again._

" _I'm not a boy!" Percy roared, shooting up from his seat and trapping Astra's body between the desk and his own. His arms were on either side of her, preventing her from escaping._

" _Really?" Astra didn't look worried at her position. In fact, she actually looked amused. "Then prove it, boy…" She reached up a hand and cupped his cheek._

 _Percy roared and stretched up his neck to take her mouth. She wanted to see just how much of a man he was. Well, she was getting it. He devoured her ruby red lips with his own; sucking, biting, nipping and nibbling until they became puffy._

 _His tongue demanded entrance into her mouth, forcefully shoving itself inside her pink orifice. Her own tongue gallantly dueled with his but was eventually proven inferior to the sheer dominance his own tongue exerted and she moaned as she finally admitted defeat and let him roam and explore her freely._

 _His hands weren't idle, one of them reaching around her sensual body to grab her meaty derriere while the other forcefully took the plastic ruler from her own hands and threw it somewhere behind him._

 _The object in her possession removed, her now free hands went up to his hair as she pulled his head closer to hers, giving him better leverage to prove just how much of a man he really was._

 _Craving for more skin instead of her skirt, Percy pulled the hem up to her waist and out of the way, exposing Astra's thong-covered ass. His hands immediately went to those fleshy cheeks, squeezing, fondling, kneading and spanking them into a delightfully pink tone._

 _Percy loved this ass. Sometimes he was tempted to just take her over his knee and smack it red. It was like a peach. Round, juicy and now, pleasantly pink._

 _Astra moaned into his mouth with every spank, her underwear getting wetter and wetter by the second. Her screams were muffled by his own mouth when Percy's hand slid down to her stocking covered thigh, pulled it up to waist-level and grinded into her panty-covered center._

 _Their locked lips separated due to the lack of the unfortunately important resource known as air and Percy immediately dove in to land kisses on her flushed neck._

" _Percy…" Astra whispered breathily as she tilted her head to give him better access to her neck. "Percy… ahhh… Percy…" Her hips kept grinding against his and both her legs locked around him, her entire weight supported by the hands groping her ass._

 _Encouraged by the sounds she was producing, Percy started interposing sucks, nibbles and bites in between his kisses and once more marking Astra's chest as his. "Yeah… Astra?"_

" _Don't stop… more…" Astra moaned, her hands locked behind his neck, her nails painfully (read: pleasurably) raking down his feverish skin._

 _Who was he to refuse a lady._

 _He put Astra down on top of the desk, her legs still wrapped around his waist. Percy's rough lips once more met her now bruised ruby red lips in a searing kiss. His hands went up to her blouse and pulled, ripping it open, the buttons falling to the ground._

 _Her bra soon followed, forcefully torn from her chest and ruining the small piece and exposing her breasts to his viewing pleasure. Immediately, he leaned down and assaulted her breasts, groping, nibbling and biting at the soft flesh and the pebbled nipples._

 _As Percy kept on biting and nibbling, more and more of Astra's flesh was being marked as his and Percy found a strange pleasure shooting through him with every added mark. It was a dark, carnal pleasure, like marking her as territory. Claiming her as his and only his._

 _It wasn't enough though. It would never be enough._

 _Using one hand to grab at a marker on the desk – the other was busy pinching her nipples – Percy started writing words on her body, right above her navel in big bold letters._

' _ **Property of Percy Jackson'**_

" _You're mine, Astra." He growled into her ear after finishing his graffiti, making her moan in agreement. He slapped her right breast. "Answer me. You belong to who?" He asked, slapping her breast again when she didn't answer._

" _I belong to you!" Astra screamed. Another slap. "I belong to Percy Jackson!" Percy twisted one of her nipples. "Astra Black belongs to Percy Jackson!"_

" _Good girl." Percy said, gently caressing her abused and red chest. "You're so beautiful…" Percy whispered as he dove in and peppered her torso with more kisses, paying special attention to the words he wrote, making Astra moan both at the compliment and at his ministrations._

 _Her blouse was hanging loosely on her frame by her arms, the couple too involved in each other to bother removing it all the way. Her skirt followed the same principle, simply being rolled up to her waist. Her stockings and heels riled up Percy even more and her glasses disappeared without his notice, but her hair…_

 _He took hold of the star-shaped pin holding it in place, wiggled it loose, and yanked it out. Her hair fell in gently cascades, like liquid silver, and she looked up at him with her sky-blue doe eyes that were filled with unrestrained desire. "Percy…." She whispered breathily and he growled._

 _She was his. She already admitted she belonged to him._

 _But he hadn't taken her yet. Hadn't laid the final claim to her being._

 _Mentally and emotionally, he already knew she was his._

 _But physically?_

 _He was taking her. All of her. Now._

 _His hands flew to the button of his uncomfortably tight pants and_

"Percy?"

Percy jumped, his hands snapping to his sides from their position over his pants' button.

"Are you alright?" Astra asked from behind him, a large sack – big enough that it touched the floor – slung over her shoulder.

Somehow, he ended up right in front of Astra's office. And somehow, he got here before she did, which was weird because he assumed she was already in when he received the missive.

Percy turned to her automatically. "I'm fine, just…" He trailed off as she dropped her sack with a clatter, her face flushed, jaw open in a perfect _o_ and her gaze directed downwards. Percy followed her gaze and saw…

"Ehem." Astra cleared her throat.

"I see you're happy to see me." Astra teased as Percy covered his tented crotch with his hands. "That's good. Want me to help with that?" She shot him a smile and a wink and Percy's mouth went dry.

"Wha… uh…" He stammered, not knowing what to say. Was she just teasing or…?

"C'mon. Let's go inside." Astra told him, picking up her sack and walking towards the door.

Percy stepped to the side so she could unlock the door. As she passed by, he eeped as she palmed and squeezed the not so little, little Percy and shot him a wink. "Mmm. Very nice." She told him, making Percy flush and cross his hands over his crotch again.

'Down boy. Down.' He thought to little Percy who, thankfully, shrunk slightly to just above normal size.

Pushing open the door, the woman entered the office, leaving Percy staring after her swaying hips, her peach ass hypnotizing Percy with their movement. She was definitely putting more oomph to that swing, right? They can't normally be that nice.

"Aren't you coming, Percy?" Astra asked him, looking over her shoulder, though her gaze was still pointed downwards toward his covered crotch. It had gone up again after that display. "Hmmm?"

Percy gulped. "Yeah… just… give me a minute…"

"Make it fast. I assume you've got the rest of the day free. We have a lot to do… Actually," She began, looking him up and down. Percy cringed every time her gaze passed his crotch area. "Change your clothes. Something you won't mind ruining." Astra said before closing the door and leaving him alone in the hallway.

He sighed in relief. Okay. Right now, he really had only one option. Feeling the tightness of his pants, Percy determined that it wouldn't be going down any time soon. A cold shower would take too long. That left only…

"Gotta go to the bathroom…"

* * *

When Percy finally entered Astra's office, it was to the sight of Astra bent at the waist over the large sack she was carrying, that ravishing round butt of hers wiggling left and right enticingly.

What made it worse – or better in some cases – was instead of the jeans she was wearing earlier, she was wearing black short shorts. And by short, he meant _tiny_. They were so small that they were barely considered shorts, barely covering her fat cheeks. They looked tight too. Percy almost mistook them for having been painted on when he first laid his eyes on her.

Like Astra, Percy had changed from his t-shirt and jeans combo – something Astra gave him – into a ratty old tee and basketball shorts.

Percy closed the door behind him absently, his eyes never leaving the captivating sway of Astra's derriere before shaking his head and putting a hand to his face and covering his eyes. Not a moment later, a small gap appeared between his fingers, effectively giving Percy his very own hole to peep through.

"Ehem." Percy cleared her throat after a few more minutes of covertly admiring Astra, finally bringing his presence into attention. She had been to busy rummaging inside that bag of hers to notice him.

"Percy?" She asked, straightening up and turning towards him, letting Percy see the other part of her new attire. A thin, white tank top that exposed a lot of skin with a superman logo printed on the front. It was a size too big for her, hanging onto her voluptuous form by two thin straps that looked like they would just slide off with every sudden movement.

Her platinum blonde hair was tied in a high ponytail, revealing her delicate ears and slender neck.

Great. As if her shorts weren't distracting enough.

"Did you enjoy the show?" She asked him with a sly grin, making Percy groan.

Doubly great. She'd known he was here the entire time.

Well, if she was going to play it like that…

Percy shot her a grin and nodded. "Yeah. Will you do an encore?" He asked cheekily, not expecting her to actually do it and just looking to make her blush. "But don't blame me if I can't help myself. You have a really great Asstra." He said before cringing at his own pun.

Contrary to expectations – something that Percy really should remember considering the sugar incident during their date – Astra giggled at his joke before she turned her back to him once more. She bent forwards at the waist like before, though this time she looked over at him over her shoulder, her lower lip trapped between her teeth and with half-lidded eyes and wiggled her rear at him seductively.

"Percy…" She whispered softly, though somehow Percy heard her and little Percy rose to attention. Again. "Like it?" She asked as she did a particularly vigorous shake and Percy groaned.

He never can win with her. She was too irresistible.

Something inside him roared. It was something that kept happening recently and now it was a familiar feeling. Usually, it reared its head during training, either with the sword or with Ted. During those times, he felt himself work harder, swing the sword faster, shoot the ball better.

The first time, though, was different. It was during their date, when Astra was in trouble. Percy could still distinctly remember what it was roaring at him when those thugs tried to take Astra away from him. It was one of the strongest reactions he'd gotten. Actually, the most powerful ones usually involved Astra in some way.

This time was no different.

 _TAKE HER!_

 _She was wonderful. Powerful. Healthy. Perfect. The pinnacle of the female form. The perfect mate to bear his children. The ideal mother of dr-_

Then he felt something pulse, starting from the center of his chest, and the voice egging him on to take her stopped.

"I thought you were gonna touch me?"

Percy groaned. The voice might have stopped but the sight in front of him was still incredibly tempting. She was really testing his self-control. The sight of the desk, a set of armchairs innocently placed right in front of it, didn't help matters.

Hormones were horrible. Was he gonna be like this all throughout puberty?

Percy clamped down on his desires, willing the roaring to stop and firmed up his resolve. He exerted every iota of self-control he could muster to resist the temptation he was faced with. It was hard, the hypnotic sway of Astra's hips having a profound effect on his libido but he resisted the urge to give in.

Because they made a promise.

Astra Black was beautiful. Perfect.

Percy Jackson wasn't. Not even close. Not yet. But he will be.

And when they finally get together, he'll be good enough for her. Percy will live up to her expectations and be a brave, kind and loyal man.

It was difficult thing to aspire to be. Percy didn't have many good male role models to emulate and to learn from. He didn't really know his father and the less said about Gabe, the better. The only one he could really think of was Mr. Brunner, and even then, he didn't really think the wise, knowledgeable teacher schtick fit him.

But it was something to strive for. To be a man that Astra would be proud to be with.

He walked until he was within arm's reach of her, his gaze right on her form. Astra looked at him from over her shoulder expectantly, her ponytail swaying left and right following her shaking hips.

"Are you going to do it?" She asked softly. Her voice was husky, making Percy shiver and he locked eyes with her, sea-green meeting sky-blue. There was something dark in her eyes that Percy couldn't decipher but he decided he liked what he saw.

He hesitated; a final encounter with today's temptation making him freeze. Will he really let this opportunity pass? Can't he just give in now and wrap his arms around this woman like he often dreamed and fantasized?

"I am." Percy finally answered, winding up his arm and giving her juicy peach ass a loud smack with his open palm. Her cheeks jiggled at the impact and she let out a cute _'eep'_.

Percy felt a wave of satisfaction. He'd treat it as payback for copping a feel of his junk earlier. That was all he'd allow himself. For now.

"C'mon. I thought you said we had a lot to do." Percy said as he walked by her and peered into the sack she was rummaging around in. "Are these bones?"

Astra straightened up, rubbing the cheek Percy spanked. She almost couldn't believe he actually did it, but she didn't really mind. Actually, she did mind that he didn't do more. "Yep! That's the pterodactyl. They're just plastic replicas though. I couldn't get my hands on the real thing."

"Ah…" Percy nodded, understanding the reason for his presence. "You want some help?"

Astra rubbed her cheek sheepishly. "Yeah… I thought I could do it by myself before I picked it up… but I didn't expect that there'd be too many pieces for me to do by myself." She explained.

"This doesn't look like much." Percy said lifting the bag and weighing it. It wasn't that heavy.

Astra silently pointed somewhere behind Percy, making him turn around and look. Five sacks just as big as the one he had were lined up next to the wall. "Not that much, huh?" She repeated sarcastically. The reason she wasn't in her office when Percy arrived was because she had to take multiple trips to get the bags from her car to the office.

Percy had the decency to look sheepish. "Fine. It's a lot." How did he not notice the others? Oh right. Astra's display distracted him. "Okay I'll help."

"Great!" Astra cheered, her movement making a strap of her tank top slide off her shoulder. "I was gonna ask Juliet but summer's coming so she had to start training again."

"Juliet's a part of a traveling wrestling group, right?" Percy asked as he absently reached up and replaced the strap back securely on Astra's shoulder. "Jade something?"

"Jade Princess." Astra supplied, squeezing Percy's hand on her shoulder in thanks. "I think some of her fights are on the internet. We could watch some during our break later, if you like."

"Cool."

"Yeah! I've also got some cheeseburgers from this diner me and your mom went to for lunch. They're good."

"You had lunch with my mom?" Percy raised an eyebrow. "How?"

"We're friends. I called her up a few months ago and invited her for lunch. She's really nice and I really like her. We usually meet up once a week." Astra explained. "That reminds me. She gave me a letter to give to you."

"From my mom? She could've just called."

"You don't have a phone, remember." Astra said, patting at her clothes before realizing she'd changed. "It was in my pocket. I'll go get it." She said walking to the door behind the desk. It led to her Yancy bedroom that she used for all those long nights when she was too tired to drive back to the city. "Take a seat. I'll start on the pterodactyl while you read."

Percy ambled to one of the plush couches, far away from the desk and the armchairs. Astra was distracting enough. He didn't need to add to his distraction with fantasies, no matter how much Percy wanted them to come true.

Plopping down onto the soft cushions of the couch, Percy thought about any repercussions that would possibly come out of his mom and Astra being friends. He wasn't really sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing.

On one hand, it meant that they got along and that on some level, his mom approved of Astra. His mom was nice and kind, but it also meant that if she didn't like you, she was nice enough to tell you to your face. The fact that they had lunch on multiple occasions was a good sign.

Conversely, that meant that they talk about all kinds of topics. Like about him. Percy told Astra lots of stories, but there were some that just weren't fit to see the light of day, like the birthday cake incident when he was four. Then there were the baby pictures.

He wanted Astra to think of him as a man. Showing her a picture of him buck naked and still covered in suds while running from the bathroom wouldn't help.

His moment of speculation was over quickly as Astra re-entered the office, a folded note in hand. "Here, Percy." She passed him the note. "Astra Deliveries. We get you your package in an hour or less!" She announced proudly, giggling at the end of her statement.

Percy raised an eyebrow as he took the letter from her. "Really… That's amazing." He said in a deadpan. "I'll be sure to recommend you to my friends. Do you have a hotline?" He joked, making Astra laugh and rub the back of her head sheepishly.

"Just read the letter Percy." She told him as she turned to the bags and started unpacking the pterodactyl parts. "Don't worry, I haven't opened it."

"I know you didn't." Percy assured. "And I wouldn't have minded if you did. I trust you, Astra." He turned his attention to the note, carefully unfolding the paper, and reading the contents.

He didn't notice how Astra suddenly froze and turned towards him. Nor did he notice the wide-eyed, unbelieving yet ecstatic look on her face.

* * *

 _Dear Percy,_

 _I know this is unusual. There are so many ways I could've contacted you. I know you told me Grover had a phone, or maybe I could've emailed you, or maybe even just showed you in person, but Astra was with me and I thought why not have her deliver this to you._

 _Hopefully you appreciate this opportunity I gave you two. She told me she was going to be spending the rest of the day building her… pterodactyl I think. That should give you a few hours of alone time. Hehe._

 _Anyways, I should probably keep this letter short. We've already finished lunch and your beautiful girlfriend is starting to get a bit too hyper. I think she's excited to make her dinosaur._

 _Astra told me about Mr. Brunner's offer, Percy. About camp. And… I think you should go._

 _It sounds like it would do you some good and I'm happy that someone finally realized just how special you really are. I haven't told you this yet, but your father told me about that summer camp. It was one of the things we talked about, when to send you there._

 _It seems that the time has come._

 _I've been selfish, Percy. I should've let you go years ago, but I was too greedy. I wanted more time with you. You're my little boy and I want to take care of you forever, but I know you're growing up and becoming a man. You're not my baby anymore. You've even got yourself a beautiful woman._

 _The camp would be good for you. It'll help you reach your full potential and that's all I could really hope for you. You're strong. And brave. And kind. You'll be a wonderful man and going to camp will help you grow into one._

 _Talk to Mr. Brunner. Tell him you're going and know that I support you in doing so. This would be good for you, and I know your father would agree with me._

 _I hoped we had more time, but I guess it was enough. I know we'll make it through this, and I know your father is watching over you._

 _I'll see you after the school year. We probably have a week before you go to camp, so what do you say to a weekend at Montauk? We'll rent our cabin again and have s'mores over a campfire._

 _I love you._

 _xoxo_

 _PS. I approve of your taste in women, Percy. Astra's a wonderful girl. Don't let her get away._

* * *

A few words were smudged and there were some wet spots on the paper, and Percy realized that his mom was crying while she wrote this. His heart sank. All the embarrassment he felt during the earlier parts of the letter faded, replaced by worry. What did this all mean? It was just a summer camp, but his mom acted as if this was a really big thing.

It felt like his mom was really conflicted about letting him go. And his dad… he didn't even know his dad. Why would he want him to go to some summer camp when he didn't even bother raising him?

He spent a few more minutes brooding over the letter, reading it over and over again. He tried to find some clues. Something that would help him make sense of all of this. Anything to make him understand what the hell was going on.

It was a good thing he was already sitting down. His legs had given out on him a long time ago.

"Percy?" He felt a soft poke on his shoulder and he was brought out of his musings. "Are you okay?" He turned to the voice, and as expected, Astra was there standing over him.

All the excitement she had for assembling her pterodactyl evaporated. Her blue eyes were filled with worry.

Percy could see pieces of the pterodactyl scattered on the floor behind her. A few were already arranged into what looked like a wing shape.

"I'm fine. Don't worry." Percy said standing up. "Now, what do you want me to do?"

"Are you sure? I can do this by myself if you don't feel up to it." Astra stepped in front of him, blocking his route to their project. "You can go and rest, Percy. You don't look too good."

Percy sighed, letting out some of his frustration with his breath. He didn't want to snap at her. She was only worried about him and he honestly appreciated it. "I'm fine." A strand of platinum hair escaped from her tight ponytail and Percy reached up to tuck it behind her ear, his fingers gently brushing her cheek as he did. "Let's go finish your dinosaur."

Astra touched her warm cheek, feeling it tingle from his feather-soft touch. She sent him a smile and Percy felt his spirits lift. "Okay! Let's do this!" She cheered, pumping her fist up in the air.

Percy smiled at her antics. "Yeah!" He agreed. "How can I help!" He asked now getting hyped by her energy.

"I need you to get a magnifying glass, a power drill, a lighter, a flashlight and a rabbit!" Astra ordered.

"Got it!" Percy answered near immediately, getting swept up in the hype. "What's the rabbit for?"

"I don't know! Emergency food supply!" She shrugged.

"Okay! Wait… what?!"

Astra giggled in response, bopping him on the head. "Just help me assemble the pieces, silly! Think of it as giant LEGOs."

"Right." Percy said, kneeling near the pterodactyl parts. Astra quickly moved and stood in front of him, pointing out how each piece connected.

He wasn't listening though. Percy's eyes strayed to her long legs and soft looking thighs. Can you blame him? They were distracting and, as fitting for the woman they were attached to, immensely sexy. Percy often didn't get to marvel at just how perfect they were. Usually his gaze was locked with her eyes or they find themselves ogling her chest and rear but not her legs. And especially not uncovered like they were now.

His eyes roved over her legs, his gaze entranced by just how amazing they were. He started at her feet that possessed graceful arches and elegant toes painted black before slowly moving upwards _._

Percy felt like hours had passed as his eyes slowly trailed higher and higher and even _higher._ It was like there was no end to just how long they were, his gaze unable to move at any pace faster than _slow_ , unwilling to miss even a single inch of her glorious legs.

Eventually, just before Percy started to fear that he was forever trapped gazing into the endless length that was Astra's legs, his gaze reached the hem of her tiny shorts. He noticed a marking on the inside of her upper left thigh, just visible from his angle. It was a tattoo, no bigger than a quarter. A small black star, a symbol of Astra's name.

"Had your fill?" Astra asked, making Percy's eyes jump upwards until they met her eyes. Her sky-blue eyes that were twinkling with amusement, like an anomaly of stars appearing during the brilliantly azure noon sky. Her mouth was curved in a smug smile.

Percy felt like crap. He did it again. Not even an hour after he last decided that all he'd allow himself was that pat on the ass, he started ogling her again.

He really hated teenage hormones.

"Sorry, Astra."

"Don't apologize Percy. I don't mind." Astra assured him, patting him on the head. He was still on the floor while she was standing. "As long as you don't mind it if I do the same." She sent an indiscreet glance at his arms. Percy didn't notice but he was clenching his fists hard in attempt to keep his hands to himself and it did wonders for his arms and upper body.

"Uh… okay, I guess." Percy agreed. At least this way, he wouldn't feel guilty. It seemed clear that although he could resist the urge to touch her, he couldn't stop himself from looking. He'll try his best not to ogle her, but the thought of having explicit permission to look and admire brought great relief and satisfaction to him.

The tension left his body as he roved his eyes once more over her wonderful legs and feeling the lack of guilt it brought, making Astra whine disappointedly. She was really enjoying the sight of his toned arms straining against the sleeves of his old shirt, something that didn't really fit his new frame. That and his eyes which had darkened with lust.

Those eyes sent shivers down her spine.

She'd actually noticed he stopped listening since almost the start of her talking. She was just patiently waiting for Percy to stop checking out her legs. Besides, he wasn't the only one doing the checking out.

"Now, how do we do this again?" Percy asked gesturing to the scattered pterodactyl in front of him.

"Okay. So, for example, you take this and this. Then you do this."

Once again, Percy didn't see what she did or understood a word she said. Like the hormonal teenaged boy he was, his attention was immediately drawn to the sight of female skin. Almost automatically, his gaze shifted when Astra leaned forward, reaching for a pterodactyl part.

"Did you get it?" Astra asked before puffing out her cheeks when she received no response. "Were you looking under my shirt?" She questioned, correctly assuming he got distracted.

"Sorry." Percy apologized, resolutely keeping his head down and focusing on the pterodactyl.

She sighed. "Percy… I know I said you can look but I've explained it twice now. We won't finish if you keep getting distracted." She chided though she didn't actually make a move to block his view. "I know!" She said and Percy could almost see the lightbulb above her head.

"We'll make a deal." Astra told him, a teasing lilt to her voice. "Don't get distracted for the rest of the day, just until we finish the pterodactyl and…"

She whispered something hotly in his ear.

It wasn't anything too much, just a promise for the future. However, it made Percy's throat dry and his blood pressure rocket.

Percy gulped.

Little Percy pitched a tent.

Astra giggled.

Damnit, not again!

Really, this woman will be the death of him.

He resigned himself to dying with a smile on his face.

* * *

"So… how'd you do?" Grover asked one Percy Jackson as he came out of the classroom, stretching his arms over his head to get the kinks out of his back.

They'd just gone through a grueling three-hour algebra test, the final exam of the year.

"Not bad?" Percy replied, sighing in relief as his spine made a particularly satisfying pop. "My back actually hurt more than my head this time."

"You didn't have trouble with problem three?"

"Which one was that?" Percy asked, having trouble remembering a question that came so early on the paper.

"Y'know. That equation with the pi." Grover clarified.

"Oh, that one. No. I think I got it." Percy replied, stepping out of the way of someone coming out of the classroom.

Mrs. Dodd's wasn't the sort to let students stay in the classroom after they'd finished. As long as you were done, whether you took the whole three hours or took only thirty minutes, you had to get out. Of course, she'd take the papers when the three hours were up, finished or not.

Grover finished pretty early at just two hours into the exam. Percy took a bit longer, finishing only fifteen minutes before the three hours were up.

Percy guessed she was just glad to have them out of her hair. Well, Mrs. Dodds. The feeling is mutual.

"I had most trouble with the word problems, actually. The dyslexia made it a bit hard to read."

Actually, his reading had improved over the last few months by leaps and bounds. He almost had no problems with the reading portions of their English test. His dyslexia just started acting up again because his head started to hurt after hours of math problems.

Still didn't hurt more than his back though. The past few days spent hunched over a desk really did a number on him.

"How'd you do on Latin?" Grover asked.

"Aced it. I think." Percy shrugged. They wouldn't get official test results until after the school year.

"So, you don't have to participate in the tourney." Grover told him. "Since, you know. You were only forced to join because you didn't get full credit for the field trip."

"That's what I thought." Percy agreed. "But when I asked Mr. Brunner when I realized I could pass on my grades alone, he said that I'd still have to participate. Said the grade for the field trip was just too large and that even half-attendance equaled to zero on his grading sheet."

"Well… that sucks."

"Tell me about it." Percy said ruefully as he cracked his neck. "I really can't wait to get some practice with Ted again." Percy commented, successfully changing the subject as they started walking back to their dorms. "I've been having this feeling that something was missing since we'd stopped meeting in the morning."

"Oh yeah… Most activities were banned a week before the exams." Grover remembered.

"It really sucks if you ask me."

"They made it like that so you could focus on the exams." Grover reasoned. "Besides, it's almost summer. You could spend the next three months running around in camp! You'll love it, I promise." He clapped Percy on the shoulder.

"I guess." Percy admitted. He'd told Mr. Brunner he was going the same week he received the letter from his mom. "But I doubt they'd have someone like Ted there. That guy's a monster."

"Look who's talking." Grover shot back. Percy had, in the last few months, proven himself to be just as talented as Ted when it came to pure athleticism. He'd actually set an unofficial record for fastest 100m dash made by a sixth-grader. "And you'd be surprised. We have a lot of different types back at camp. Remember Luke?"

"How could I forget. He almost took my head off!" Percy snarked. "But I get it. Mr. Brunner told me the camp was invite-only so I guess all the kids there are sorta special. I still don't really know how I got in, though…" Percy trailed off.

"What?"

"I… did my dad have anything to do with it?" Percy wondered aloud, remembering the contents of the letter.

Grover felt the back of his neck start to sweat. "Why'd you think that?"

They made sure he would be attending for the summer, and that was good, but knowledge could be dangerous. Chiron and he planned to tell the boy about demigods after he was safely in camp. Him knowing something he shouldn't was potentially lethal.

"It was in the letter my mom sent." Percy explained. "She said my dad knew about the camp you were talking about, which is weird because even I don't know the name yet and I'm going."

"Camp Half-Blood." Grover revealed. The knowledge of the camp name shouldn't be dangerous and at least he gave Percy something. He didn't want Percy to be curious or distrustful. That was as dangerous as knowing too much. "The camp is called Camp Half-Blood."

"Oh… right." Percy said the name a few times, liking the way it rolled of his tongue. The name was weird but oddly comforting for him. "It's an exclusive camp, right? Don't worry, I won't tell anyone." He assured his friend, knowing Grover probably told him just because he was already going this summer.

"Anyways, dad seemed to want me to go there. It was something they talked about before I was even born." He stopped talking. Grover had gone silent and his usual expressions – happy, nervous, scared, hungry, teasing; things like that – were replaced with an uncharacteristically serious look.

Percy waited for Grover to speak, maybe something profound or wise or something similar. His expressions were all pointing towards something like that or at least something similar. Grover was weird like that.

Then his stomach rumbled.

"Oh… I think it's time for dinner. Do you think they have enchiladas?"

Percy stopped walking, faced the wall, and promptly banged his head on it. Sometimes, a palm to the face just wasn't enough.

"Why did I even expect anything else?" He groaned.

* * *

Percy looked around his surroundings with wide-eyed wonder.

All around him was a stone structure stood filled with layer upon layer of smoothened slabs of stone and marble that acted as seats for the hundreds of people who showed up to witness this event. Percy strained his eyes, trying to see the very top of the structure, but no matter how far he tried to look, he couldn't see the end.

The tunnel they came through was right below an elevated platform, a balcony, that was obviously for any VIPs that came to watch the tournament. The balcony was one of the best places to watch from, close to the action but high enough to be able to see everything and anything. Its purpose was made even more obvious by the regal looking throne situated right in the middle of it.

Towering columns made of stone were periodically spaced around the circular area made of firmly packed dirt where Percy and his fellow contestants were standing on, acting more like decorations than actual support, seeing as the structure didn't have a roof. Their area was approximately thirty meters in diameter, giving them more than enough space to move around and fight.

All in all, the coliseum they were holding the sword tournament at was very impressive, especially considering construction started just after the final exams. At least, that was what he heard.

Percy honestly thought the venue would be the gym so imagine his surprise when several school busses were brought into the campus first thing in the morning. An hour and a half later, more than half the school and a fair bit of their parents were being ushered into a coliseum a mile away from campus. Too bad his mom couldn't get the day off.

Of course, it wasn't possible to use real stone slabs or polished marble in the construction. That would have taken too long. As far as Percy knew, the arena was mostly made up of gravel, quick-dry cement, and plywood, but honestly, he could hardly tell the difference.

It sure as hell looked good.

Percy's ears were ringing with the noise from the crowd, whether by the excited roar of the audience or the number of food vendors shouting out their wares.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves, and his nose was assaulted by the distinct scent of polished leather. The leather armor they gave him fit him just right. It was thick enough to provide him sufficient protection from any blows he may fail to block but was light and flexible, not hampering any of his movement.

The helmet he was currently carrying under his arm was another story.

Percy tried the helmet on before they were asked to gather on the arena floor. It smelled okay since it was new, but it made it hard to breath, and it blocked his peripheral vision.

He decided that he would lose the helmet first chance he got, which was too bad because he honestly thought it was cool.

Looking around the other contestants, Percy saw that most of them had the same thing he had.

A leather breastplate over their casual clothes – for Percy that was a plain black t-shirt and dark jeans along with sneakers – leather bracers to protect their arms and a helmet was handed out to them on the bus.

In addition to the stock armor given to each of the contestants, Percy had on some finely-made shin guards and thigh pads made with quality leather over his jeans. They were dyed black and had a scale-like pattern etched on them. They were lying in a box on his bed the night before, along with a note from Astra demanding that he better win the tournament and that she was sorry.

He didn't know why she was apologizing but he appreciated the sentiment, both the encouragement and the apology.

With three different good luck charms from his lucky star – he rarely took off the fang pendant that Astra had given him so long ago – Percy felt pretty good about his chances of victory.

The contestants' swords were hanging onto their waists by a leather sword belt, safely sheathed inside a wooden scabbard. Mr. Brunner had handed them each one of the promised iron swords, though he was visibly worried as he did so.

If Percy was asked, he would have preferred his wooden sword rather than the iron sword he was given. He gave his new sword a few practice swings as soon as he got it and found that it was heavier than the wooden sword he used for practice.

This was something he expected, but he was still let down that it was even worse than he thought. Of course, the familiarity he'd achieved with his usual sword was gone, but even more than that was the balance. The feel was horrible in Percy's hand.

Still, he got what he got. All he could do now was try his best.

Percy was looking at his rival contestants while he waited for the event to begin. A few of the contestants were wearing something different to what Percy had. It was allowed to bring your own stuff, though he hoped that it was run by Mr. Brunner beforehand. He'd had his extra armor approved by the teacher just as they were boarding the bus. He would be seriously pissed if he had to fight someone with a live sword.

Out of the twenty or so contestants standing with him, a couple of them had on something different. Maria was one of them.

She was wearing some kind of robe, something that looked like a kimono that didn't restrict her movements, but Percy wasn't sure. (A gi) It was made of a dark blue cloth and it hid her feet when she was standing straight. She wasn't right now and Percy saw that she was wearing sandals.

Above her robes, she was wearing some kind of armor that covered just as much as a tank top would. She was also wearing arm guards, shoulder pads and a helmet, all having the same style as her armor. Her helmet had a mesh front allowing her to see and extended past her neck to protect her throat. Percy was happy he was wearing leather because Maria's armor looked kinda bulky.

Visible on her hip was the decorated hilt of a sword. She showed Percy what it was right when it arrived, a blunt edged katana from her dad. Percy knew that the blade was thin, long, and looked wickedly sharp, but Percy knew that it was as blunt as a metal rod. Maria was ecstatic when she received it. It had been a surprise, and a gift from her father, along with the promise to come and watch her compete.

She noticed him looking at her and shot him an excited smile, just visible through the gaps of the mesh front of her helmet.

Percy nodded at her in acknowledgement before turning back to his examination of his opponents.

There were two wearing fencing outfits, white bodysuit and all. They were talking to each other in hushed whispers, their black-fronted helmets hiding their faces. On their waists were thin swords with elaborate guards and gilded pommels, rapiers. Unlike the leaf-shaped swords most of the contestants had, the fencers' swords were obviously more suited for quick thrusts.

"Duuudee… you look so cool! I totally dig the red and black. And the sword! It looks so real! It was like Sparda himself gave it to you!"

"Thanks. You're not to bad yourself! Nice bandages. Good touch."

Percy's attention was drawn to the noise. It came from two guys, right at the edge of the group. They were wearing outfits that honestly freaked Percy out.

One guy was wearing a red overcoat with sleeves that were rolled up to his elbows and reached his ankles. Under the coat he had on a dark button-up shirt and dark leather pants. His shoes were also made of leather. Furthermore, the guy either wore a very convincing wig or he dyed his hair white which was frankly rather impressive to Percy if it was the latter. Gotta give him props for commitment at least.

Instead of having his sword on his waist like the other contestants, his was on his back strapped to some kind of harness. It was a heavy looking sword with a lengthy blade that was almost as tall as the guy carrying it. Percy could see it peeking over his right shoulder and it had this skull design right at the base near the hilt. Percy felt like the skull was glaring at him with those red glowing lights within the eye sockets.

The other guy wasn't any better. He was wearing robes that were similar to Maria, though they were purple in color. His right arm was free of its sleeve, letting only half of the top of his robe hang off of his torso. A katana-like blade was on his waist.

That alone would've been alright, maybe a bit lacking of protection, but still alright. Unfortunately, the guy had to add some weird shit to his outfit that just made him look downright strange.

From the top of his head to the tip of his toes, the guy was wrapped in bandages. Aside from small gaps for his eyes and mouth, his whole body was swaddled in clean white dressing, like a mummy. The little skin revealed by the gaps were black, but not like those of a health African American. They were black like charred meat and Percy honestly hoped it was just elaborately applied makeup. A few clumps of dark hair escaped from the wrappings on his head and there were two loose pieces of cloth that framed his face and covered his ears.

"I'm so excited!" The bandaged one exclaimed to the red guy. "First I'll be like shwoom then shlick and then I'll go whack…" He then went on, showcasing an impressively wide vocabulary when it came to incomprehensible noises.

The red guy simply grunted in reply.

"Oh, come on dude! Lighten up! We're about to go and cross blades and you're all brooding." Mummy guy complained, smacking the big sword guy on the shoulder.

"I'm in character." Whitey answered blankly, his face set in stoic indifference.

"Dude. You're doing it all wrong! Dante's a badass mofo! He doesn't go all worry wart before a battle! Be cool. Throw out some epic one-liners! Show me some swag! Snark at me bro!" Mummy scolded the other guy, wagging a finger at his face.

To his credit, Dante or whatever the other guy was dressed as, kept his annoyance mostly off his face. "And Makoto Shishio is supposed to be an idiot?" He crossed his arms over his chest and gave the bandaged guy an amused smirk.

Before Percy could overhear the other guy's retort – they weren't particularly keeping their conversation private – something else drew his attention away.

"I thought this was for 6th Graders! What are you doing here?!" Nancy practically screamed at some guy, poking her finger into his breastplate accusingly.

"Heh. I got in, girlie. That's that." The guy Percy knew to be at least two years older than them replied. "I don't gotta explain myself to you." He was wearing the same stock armor the school handed out to them, though it looked like they barely fit him. Even now, some straps on the armor were undone and Percy knew that he'd regret that later.

"But that's cheating! I can't believe they're letting this pass!" Nancy fumed, raging at the guy before stomping off to join her friends.

"Yeah… I don't wanna go against that. At least not until she cools down a bit." A voice commented from behind Percy and he turned his head to look at the source.

"If you do, be sure to keep a hand on your privates." Percy joked as he spun around to face Gregor. He clapped a hand on his friend's shoulder. "You weren't with us during practice. She got pretty nasty after Mr. Brunner showed her up. I wouldn't put it past her to take advantage of our… natural weak spot." He sent a meaningful glance downwards.

Gregor grimaced, his face scrunching up and his hand flew to cover his crotch. "I'll take your word for it man."

"Your welcome." He smiled at his friend, putting out a fist which was promptly met with Gregor's own. "Good to see you decided to join in."

"Yeah… just told Mr. Brunner last minute." Gregor shrugged, the stock iron sword on his shoulder shifting. "The organizers gave me hell. Told me off for trying to register so late and they nearly didn't let me participate." He shot Percy a look, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Well, you're here so they eventually let you in, right?"

Gregor nodded. "Mhm. Your girlfriend bailed me out. Outranked both Mr. Brunner and the organizers, being the school principal and all. Did you know she's the main sponsor? Paid for almost everything?" He gestured around them at the stadium. "The coliseum was her idea."

"Sounds like something she'd do." Percy agreed before he glared at Gregor. "And she's not my girlfriend." _Yet._

"Yet." Gregor added, unknowingly echoing Percy's thoughts. "Admit it Perce, it's only a matter of time. Me and Grover, we won't judge you for dating our principal. I mean, she's funny, kind, smart and…" He nodded to something over Percy's shoulder, the VIP platform. "Just look at her. You're a lucky guy."

Anyone with eyes could see just how utterly gorgeous that woman was, and Gregor for sure had a perfectly working pair of eyes. Still, there was only one girl for him and she was out of his reach deep within her kingdom, training to eventually be queen. His mood noticeably turned wistful at the memory of a pretty girl with translucent pale skin, silvery blonde hair and violet eyes that suddenly reemerged from deep within his memory.

Has it really been more than a year since he'd since her? Since he'd gone down there?

Percy didn't notice his friend's change in mood, his attention immediately drifting to the VIP platform, looking for a particular set of eyes among the multitude of people that entered.

There were a lot of people that walked onto the balcony, Mr. Brunner on his wheelchair, a scowling Mrs. Dodds, Mr. Li and all the other teachers and admins.

Percy had no eyes for them. Not even the smallest sliver of his attention was diverted to the costume-clad teachers. They were only for her.

A crown of laurels was perched on platinum blonde hair, almost silver in the light of the sun, set in an elegant braided side bun. Her body was wrapped in a dress-like garment with cloth as white as snow at the top that gently progressed into black as night as it flowed downwards. It hugged her torso, with the dress starting just under her arms and hanging by a thin golden chord that wrapped around her neck like a choker. It ended several inches below her knees, revealing her ankles and the strappy gladiator sandals.

The upper part of the dress was also lined with gold colored cloth that shimmered in the sunlight like genuine gold. The lower part was littered with decorative gold stars, similar in material to the gold lining up top but shone even brighter because of the contrast between the golden stars and the dark cloth.

Wrapped around her midriff was a golden belt that reminded everyone of just how perfect her figure was. The belt was bejeweled with what looked like genuine precious stones. From what little Percy knew of jewels, it looked like an alternating pattern of black onyx and red rubies.

Hanging loosely off her arms, from her wrists to her upper arms, were flowy, sheer gold colored cloths that fluttered in the wind. They were secured on her limbs by gold armlets hugging her arms and having a strip of extra cloth that connected to a ring that Astra wore on her middle finger.

Speaking of her fingers, they were adorned with expensive looking rings. Hanging at her throat was a white gold necklace with a large, star-shaped black jewel the size of a baby's fist. She even had a silver anklet on.

The picture-perfect image of prestige, majesty and splendor. A textbook representation of nobility. An impeccable showing of how an empress would look as she gazed upon her loyal subjects gathered in her coliseum.

That is, except for the goofy smile on her face.

Percy didn't read much history or even those fantasy type stories but he sure as hell knew that a noble person didn't wear their hearts on their sleeve like that.

It didn't matter though, because she was beautiful. Not only on the outside but, no matter how cliché it sounds, she was beautiful on the inside. The way she expressed her feelings freely and not hid them behind some mask was something that was utterly appealing to Percy, one of the things that made her wonderful.

That was just who she was and Percy couldn't even imagine her being anything else. Astra Black was someone who expressed herself in her eyes, in her smiles or in her actions. An Astra that didn't was like putting soy sauce on donuts. They just didn't go together.

Their eyes locked, even from the dozens of meters of distance between them, and she shot him a wink and a smile before she stepped forward to begin her opening speech. Not even realizing what had happened, a goofy smile had also sprouted on his face, mirroring that of the woman he was enamored with.

"TODAY IS A GREAT DAY!" She yelled over the rising din of the crowd, her arms raised to the heavens as she grandiosely opened the tourney. Sometime after she entered, the dull roar had progressed into something louder. Ferocious.

The fact that most of the chatter Percy caught was about how hot Astra looked in her empress costume made his jealousy pulse and his blood boil. The people in the crowd, the ones who Percy heard, couldn't help the shiver that ran down their spines as they felt more than saw the sharp glare being directed at them.

Back to Astra, a simple glance towards the crowd expressed her full desire for silence. Immediately, the people complied, Astra's presence affecting them like the shining star she was. Everyone was captivated by her and were eager to hear her words.

"I know everyone is excited." Astra said, now in a just slightly above normal voice instead of a yell like before. Her earlier stunt had already acquired her the silence she requested so now she no longer had to shout to be heard. "I am too don't worry." She gave the crowd a grin that showed just how much she looked forward to the event.

The people cheered once more at her words. A loud, sharp hurrah that was easily subdued with a wave of Astra's hand.

"However! There are some announcements to be made before the event!" She looked around at her audience and saw disappointment in most of them. Guess they were really excited for the action. "Don't worry, I'll keep this short." Astra assured, shooting the crowd another smile, somewhat gratifying the more impatient of individuals. "First! I've got some good news and bad news."

She raised one hand to make a point. "Bad news. Although this is the very first instance of us having an event such as this, I have received numerous complaints, both from the department of education and even some of our parents. That is why, even though it pains me to say this, this will be the… final time… we will be having the Yancy Academy Annual Sword Tournament." She finished her announcement with a soft, vulnerable, miserable voice.

The effect took a moment to take hold – the crowd, competitors and even the teachers and admin behind Astra on the balcony stunned silent at her pitiful sounding voice and expression – before chaos ensued.

"Boo! Boo!"

"How could they do this!"

"We haven't even reached two years! At least let us properly call it Annual!"

"Principal Black! I have not heard of this before! When did this happen!"

"Fight the powah! Row row Fight the powah!"

As one, several hundred voices expressed at once a single sentiment. Defiance.

Even though Percy doubted that all of them actually gave a damn, the sheer charisma Astra had was enough to incite their anger. Even the parents were actually affected, yelling alongside their children.

Though it wasn't that obvious, Astra was a beloved figure in the school. Aside from her fun personality and being downright hilarious with her crazy antics, she was also good at her job. She was lenient when doling out punishments but stern when the situation calls for it – well, except when Percy was concerned. She obviously cared about her students and though she didn't show it often, the dedication she put into running her school was nothing to scoff at.

And it was something that the students appreciated and reciprocated.

That was why even though Yancy was predominantly filled with problem children, it was still considered a prestigious school that ranked amongst the best in the country. Their sports program, though not that impressive, was still decent. The fact they had Ted, who Percy had found out was actually offered scholarships to other, more sports-oriented schools, spoke for itself.

So, Percy wasn't actually all that surprised at the sudden outburst. It was something he saw coming and he was proud to say that he was among the ones who shouted the loudest. After all, he was the one who cared for Astra the most.

Another raised hand and the crowd promptly shut up.

"Now, now everyone. Don't worry because to compensate for our impromptu cessation of this new tradition…" She paused for dramatic effect and the people ate it up, sitting at the edge of their seats in anticipation. "I've decided that we're gonna end our one and only sword tournament with a bang! After this tournament is over, we party! Celebrate the champion! Greet the coming of summer!" Astra cheered, raising her hand high in the air.

The crowd followed, caught up wholly in her pace. They whooped in joy, shouted their approval, clapped their hands and stomped their feet in anticipation.

"FURTHERMORE!" Astra yelled over the cheering crowd. "The Champion will receive not only extra credit, a trophy, and a request to be fulfilled for next year, I've also decided to have them immortalized as a marble statue to be placed right at the main hall of Yancy Academy! Forever acting as a reminder of just how great our students are!" She shouted and the crowd cheered even louder. "AND SO THAT EVERYONE HAS A CHANCE TO GET A STATUE MADE OF THEM," She walked over to the corner of the balcony where something big was covered by a tarp. It was something that Percy had yet to notice until now. Pulling off the covering, she revealed what was hidden under the tarp.

Row upon row of stock swords and racks filled with stock armor of all sizes. "OPEN REGISTRATION! RIGHT HERE! RIGHT NOW! TO ANY MEMBER OF YANCY ACADEMY!" She declared proudly, taking one sword in her hand and raising it into the air. "TODAY! WE FIGHT!" And she roared a battle cry that dwarfed even the loudest of cheers currently resounding in the stadium. Really, she had an impressive pair of lungs.

Suffice it to say, the crowd went wild.

So that was why she said sorry in her note. Instead of competing against two dozen sixth graders, it'll be with the whole school. And of course, he'd fail Latin if he backed out now.

Oh, joy.

* * *

A.N.

Okay, that's it for now. I know, I know. Not much action this chapter. I even teased you with the tournament. Sorry 'bout that. I just didn't want any interest in this fic to die just because I haven't updated in a while. I promise, update schedule will normalize in the next few weeks. It just couldn't be helped that my niece and nephew needed my laptop for school and who was I as their supportive uncle to keep it from them. It was for the good of their education.

Again, I'll post the next chapter sometime this weekend to make up for the long absence. Next Wednesday at the latest.

Oh, and by the way, I could use some suggestions on some abilites or perks for the game system. Just drop a review or send me a pm and know that I greatly appreciate anything you guys can give me. I'm still finalizing some aspects of the system but for sure the game interface will pop up in the next couple of chapters.


	10. Metal Sticks and Swinging Kids

Percy Jackson and Andromeda's Lament

Chapter 9: Metal Sticks and Swinging Kids

* * *

After the clamor Astra's announcement generated died down, several dozen students registered to partake in the tournament. It took a few minutes longer than what Percy thought was needed but the sheer number of additions could easily explain the delay.

What Percy didn't know was that the delay was mostly caused by requiring all new participants to sign waivers, absolving the school of any blame from injuries the participants might incur.

The reception received by the announcement was impressive to say the least. Not one of the swords and armor revealed by Astra was left but still more desired to join in, even with the waivers. It got to the point that some would-be swordsmen agreed to participate while sharing equipment. The tournament system would allow that, with the first round dividing the contestants into four rounds of melee.

The initial tournament was simply a series of matches where the winner would advance and the loser would… well, lose. That was possible when they were a measly twenty, but now, they numbered just shy of a hundred and twenty.

Instead, a number of thirty contestants would be asked to the field where they would proceed to beat the shit out of each other. The last four standing would be advancing while the rest would be sent to the infirmary. This would happen four times. Four rounds of melee where a total of sixteen people would advance to the one-on-one elimination rounds.

To determine which of the melee rounds a contestant would be part of, Astra asked everyone who registered to get a number from one of her 'servant girls' – she seems to be enjoying dressing up as royalty a bit too much. The assistants, Percy refused to call them servant girls, were waiting for them in some room inside the coliseum, easily located thanks to the long line of contestants currently scrambling for their number.

Percy didn't know whether to laugh or cry while he waited in line. Scores of contestants, mostly of the male variety, were shooting him dirty looks and scowls. Fortunately, he wasn't the only one. The white-haired weirdo, Dante or something, was also receiving similar looks.

This wasn't because of anything they did to piss these people off. More like a series of circumstances that neither of them could control but was still extremely annoying to others.

See, right before Astra released the now hundred-twenty contestants, she made a few more announcements. An additional prize for a randomly selected contestant from the original twenty, something to denote her apology for suddenly dropping the bomb on them.

To ensure the selection be random, before the announcement of the existence of the prize, Astra threw the decorative cloths on her arms into the wind. The first piece of cloth fell right into the hands of the Dante guy. The other, like some twist of fate, quirk of nature or act of God ended up in Percy's grasp.

The way it ended up with Percy was weird. Unlike the golden cloth Dante received, which was thrown in his general direction and flopped in the air like normal cloth would, Percy's was thrown no where near his direction. Instead, a gust of wind blew hard, reversing the course of the cloth into Percy's direction. Then, even with the other contestants jumping and making a grab for the flying fabric, it wove around their hands reminiscent of a jet fighter until finally stopping right within reach of Percy's waiting hands.

Upon grabbing hold of the golden fabric, which he absently noted smelled of orange and rose petals, Percy turned to see Astra shoot him a smile and a wink before finally announcing what the prize was.

A prize worthy of the most gallant of knights, fighting for the favor of a beautiful princess. A kiss, from the fairest lady there. From the beautiful woman known as Astra Black.

Like he said, a twist of fate, quirk of nature, an act of God.

As expected, the people were in protest. She was the principal. They were students. The protests, however, lessened when she clarified it as a simple kiss on the cheek. There were still a few protesters, mostly the high-school aged male contestants, but even they eventually died down after Astra's following announcement.

The prize of a kiss is received by the winner of the tournament holding the golden cloth. Those who defeat either Dante or Percy or whoever was currently in possession of the material is perfectly within his right to do anything with it, whether take it for himself and earn the privilege of somehow get a kiss or to destroy the cloth.

Of course, to earn the kiss, one still had to win.

That was when Percy decided. He would win. No matter what it took.

Thus, the reason for Percy not knowing whether to laugh or cry. Astra's antics are, without doubt, hilarious but they also brought him unwanted attention. Judging by the glares sent his way, Percy had no doubt he'd be ganged up on in the melee.

This was actually the reason why he wasn't with Gregor or even with Maria. They invited him to go get their numbers together but Percy didn't want them exposed to the sheep.

"You're gonna die Jackson! Like we're even gonna let you close to Principal Black!" One guy hollered to him, causing the tension to finally break and causing the dozens of males from simply glaring to jeering.

Yep. Definitely getting ganged up on.

Well, the joke's on them. Percy had already gotten a taste of Astra's sweet lips and he sure as hell won't let anyone else. Astra was his. No one would ever get close to her as long as he was still breathing.

The roar that answered him deep within let him know that whatever beast was in his thoughts, whether it was a figment of his imagination or a product of his psyche, was in full approval of his decision.

He shot the jeering men a harsh glare, filled with the fury he felt for these mortals that dare take what belonged to him. Immediately, the men turned into boys as shivers went through their spines and they felt like disappearing into the ground.

Letting out a snort of amusement at cowing the sheep, Percy turned back to the slowly moving line, hoping to get a decent number. He didn't want to go with the first melee. Since they were granted permission to watch in the stands as long as they weren't fighting, Percy wanted to watch first. Instead, he was aiming for a middling number, around forty-ish, but preferably he'd participate last.

The melee was divided into increments of thirty, with the contestants in possession of numbers one through thirty going first. Then thirty-first through sixty going second, and so on until all hundred-twenty contestants have had a go.

Finally, Percy reached the front of the line and he was surprised to meet a friendly face.

"Juliet?!" Percy blurted out, surprised at seeing the girl here. As far as he knew, she was busy preparing for her wrestling tour. "You're one of the assistants?" He asked, reaching out a hand over the table for a shake.

"Percy!" Instead of taking his hand like Percy expected, Juliet ran around her table and enveloped him in a friendly hug, knocking him out of the line. "Oh! It's so good to see you! It's been months!" She exclaimed, releasing her hug before holding him at arm's length. She looked him up and down before shooting him a brilliant smile. "You're growing up to be a right hunk, ain'tcha?"

She couldn't feel that much of his body because of the leather breastplate on his torso, but he was easily solid. Juliet could just imagine how even more toned he'd become since she saw him in just that towel all those months ago, especially with Astra constantly bragging to her about how Percy took to sports like a fish took to water.

The boy blushed, fidgeting out of her grip and rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Geez, Juliet." He stammered, discreetly roving his eyes over her. She was wearing a dress that was somewhat similar to Astra's, but was obviously less opulent. No jewels, gold stitching or that black and white gradient. Just a simple white robe wrapped around her athletic form with simple leather sandals. Of course, her jade pin held her hair in place.

Seeing him give her a once over – he wasn't nearly as discreet as he thought he was – Juliet struck a pose, cocking her hips to the left with a hand resting on her waist. "What do you think?" Juliet asked, an eyebrow raised. "Personally, I think this dress is too long and flowy. This would be horrible in a fight."

"I think you look nice." Percy assured her, getting over her earlier teasing. "Yep. It definitely looks good on you."

"Aww… thanks Percy." Juliet said, patting him on the head like a dog and earning her a mock-glare from the shorter boy. She giggled, amused at how cute he looked. "Still, I would have liked it to be shorter. It's too restricting like this. At least…" Gripping the hem of the dress, she lifted the end until it came to mid-thigh, drawing Percy's eyes to her toned legs. They were definitely more muscled that Astra's but did nothing to take away from her attractiveness. "Maybe something like this. See, it still hides the dagger." She pointed out the leather holster that wrapped around the pale skin of her thigh.

"Why'd you got a dagger?" Percy asked. "And what are you even doing here? I thought you were on tour already."

"I'm leaving this weekend." Juliet replied, letting go of her dress. "This is the last thing I'm gonna do for the Mistress until next term. As for the dagger… it's more of a costume piece than anything else. Head servant-girl should have protection, shouldn't she?"

Percy groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Servant-girl? Really? I can't believe you can call yourself that with a straight face. What the hell was Astra thinking calling assistants servant-girls?"

"Hey now… Miss Astra isn't that bad." Juliet defended her mistress. "Besides, this isn't the weirdest thing she had me do and the other girls don't mind." Juliet gestured to the two other girls behind the table that were currently handling the distribution of numbers. "And compared to the young master, Miss Astra's a saint. He had me guarding hostages for –" She trailed off, seeing Percy widen her eyes at her admission. Immediately, her palm flew to her lips, covering her big mouth.

She was not supposed to say that. Shit.

"Young master…" Percy's eyes were wide as saucers. "Artemis Fowl? Guarding hostages?" What the fuck! Assassins shooting his butler! Taking hostages! Kidnapping? "What the actual fuck." He deadpanned, the absurdity of it all causing his brain to stall.

"Percy!" Juliet snapped, her hands going to his shoulders. The sound of his name and the pressure on his shoulders snapped Percy out of his funk. Juliet started shaking him back and forth, as if the knowledge he recently received would somehow get knocked loose out of his head. "It was part of a game!" She laughed awkwardly, squeezing his shoulders almost painfully. "A game! We were playing a game with one of the young master's friends! One of those medieval siege games that rich boys in Europe like to play! Yeah, that's it!"

She was lying. It was obvious to Percy that what she was saying wasn't the truth. It was in the way her eyes wavered as she tried to keep eye contact. Still, he wasn't going to say that to her face.

"What's going on after the melee?" Percy asked harshly, shrugging her hands off his shoulders.

"Y'know! Those games with princes and castles and fairies and… Wha?" Juliet continued her rambling excuses for another moment, caught flatfooted, before shifting gears as his words sunk in. She was expecting some more questions on her slip-up. It wasn't everyday one of your friends admit to kidnapping. Of course, they kidnapped an elf and not a human but… that was still wrong, right? "Uh… there's an hour break for lunch. Food stalls are being put up outside the stadium as we speak."

"Right." Percy nodded, closing his eyes for a moment. He was thinking about his plan of action. This was an opportunity that he could take to improve his chances in the tournament. Anything to keep his Astra from the hands of the horny wolves.

When he opened his eyes, there was a spark of something dark and savage in those sea-green orbs, like a great beast was waiting just below the surface of the calm sea. "Give me the last number." Percy told her bluntly.

"What?" Juliet asked startled, and initially, pissed. Was she being blackmailed? Did he actually have it in him to blackmail her? To win a fucking competition?

Then she saw the golden cloth tied to his upper arm.

Ah. So that's why. The miss has done something weird again, most likely the very same thing she was telling Juliet about earlier. A kiss for the winner who holds the gold.

No wonder he was willing to do anything to win.

Her eyes softened at this realization. It was kinda sweet in a wicked kind of way, and it was something Juliet could totally get behind.

Were there more sides to Percy Jackson than those beautiful sea-green eyes and athletic body? Was there a bad-boy with a heart of gold deep inside that cute boyish exterior?

To her growing mortification, a part of her was actually jealous. Was there anyone else in the world who would go as far as Percy was going, just for a simple kiss? Someone who was both kind and loyal but wasn't afraid to get their hands dirty for her sake.

Needless to say, Juliet was intrigued and was getting just a tad bid interested. Let it be known that Juliet Butler's formative years weren't particularly normal. It didn't help that she served under an evil mastermind for most of her teenaged years.

"Give me the last number." Percy repeated, raising an eyebrow and his lips morphing into a smug smirk. Did he have to spell it out for her? "Get me into the last round." He didn't know where this devious side of his came from but he wasn't going to question it. He had to win and he was willing to do anything bar crossing certain lines.

He was fine with lying, cheating and blackmailing his way to victory. After all, if he wasn't cheating, then he wasn't trying hard enough.

' _Kindest, Bravest, Most Loyal'_

But then again… certain lines would never be crossed by him. Percy had not forgotten what he aspired to become, a man Astra would be proud of being with. He doubted she'd go for someone who can hurt people, truly cause them pain, without flinching.

This case was fair game to Percy, though. Juliet was in the wrong, she admitted to kidnapping for goodness sake. He was simply making use of the opportunity presented to him and jockey for a position that can help him win.

That would give Percy a small advantage, at least in his mind. By his reasoning, the only con to being last was not having as much time to recover as the guys who'd go first, but he was confident he'd get back into tip top shape in the hour break. That would mean that he'd get all the advantages to fighting last, namely the opportunity to observe the first bouts and, with the total number of contestants _just_ shy of a hundred-twenty, he might get to fight one or two less people.

Absently, the part of him affected by his ADHD wondered if Juliet's family were in the mafia, with the Fowls – Artemis's family – being the bosses. That was one way to explain all the things he heard from Astra and now from Juliet.

"Understood, sir. Just wait there for a moment." Juliet answered, nodding her head at him stiffly, her hands clenched tightly into fists and her face flushed red. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Juliet shot him a wan smile before leaving. She turned her back on him, her long braided hair whipping near his face, the scent of strawberries assaulting his senses.

Percy watched as Juliet strut her way back to the table, her gait both alluring and seductive. The people waiting in line stopped what they were doing to simply stare at her, her presence commanding and impossible to ignore.

Reaching the table where the 'servant-girls' were handing out ping-pong sized balls with numbers on them, Juliet bent at the waist, her small tight rump pointed in his direction, and whispered a few words to the girl closest to her. The girl glanced his way as Juliet stepped back, erupting into soft giggles the moment her eyes locked with his, with Juliet joining in, making Percy frown.

What was going on? Initially, he thought Juliet was pissed at him. That was what her body language was pointing to and the tone she used was clipped and overly-formal. It was actually the first time Percy remembered calling him sir. He was a bit sad at this, seeing as he actually liked the girl. She was pretty, nice and overall fun to be around but still, for Percy, she couldn't hold a candle to his Astra.

Then she walks away from him like a supermodel on a runway, swinging her hips at him in a manner that Percy had no word for except thirsty and now she was looking over her shoulder at him with bright eyes and cutely giggling.

Talk about sending mixed signals.

Shooting Percy a brief smile before turning to the basket where all the balls were held, the servant-girl rummaged around until finding a particular ball and handing it to Juliet. After a few more words were exchanged, presumably of thanks, Juliet strode back over to him, her face blank though her eyes hinted at amusement.

"Here you go, sir." Juliet murmured softly, presenting the small ball in her hand. Percy assumed this was because what he was doing was actually against the rules of the tournament and Juliet wanted this to be on the down low. At least, as much as it can be with the events unfolding right in view of the line.

"My thanks, Juliet." Percy reached out a hand slowly, a bit nervous now that his blackmail had apparently succeeded. Instead of taking the ball from Juliet's hands, he stretched out his open palm to receive it. He wasn't taking any chances. He didn't want his hand broken, or maybe slashed open with the dagger hidden on her person. His ability to read the young woman had taken a drastic drop and the only reason why Percy had the gall to actually demand something of her like this was because of the sheer superiority of his dirt on her.

After all, he was simply blackmailing her to get a good position in the match. She, however, was under possible accusations of kidnapping and jail time.

Seeing Percy's upturned palm and his expectant gaze, Juliet shifted, taking another step closer to him. To her delight, the boy, nay, the young man didn't falter. He didn't step back and his gaze, if anything, hardened even more like the icy seas of the arctic.

Her smile warm despite the cool hostility Percy was exuding, Juliet gently laid the ball on his outstretched hand before taking both, hand and ball, within both of hers in a tight grip, curling her slender fingers around his and closing his hand into a closed fist around the ball. The smile she gave him as his hand closed around the ball disarmed Percy's hostility, making him smile at her in turn.

"Here you go… sir." Juliet whispered directly in his ear. Juliet had always liked Percy, ever since they first met though, admittedly, in a brotherly manner. He was a nice boy, funny, listened well when she was teaching him the guitar and the compliments he paid her cooking made her feel all fuzzy inside. Not to mention, that little show she witnessed in the changing rooms caught her off guard in a good way.

Then, today he started showing signs of something deeper. A bad-boy streak beneath the nice guy persona she met all those months ago, and it was seriously working for her. He was exuding this dangerous feel, similar to her previous master, though without the scrawny, pale-skinned vampire look and with the added benefit of a hunky bod.

The cool confidence in his eyes had caught Juliet's attention. In her book, Percy passed, his potential as a man having taken her interest. Now, to keep it he'd need to prove his martial skill. Her family had always prized men who could fight, with her brother being a master in his own right. Fortunately, they had a wonderful way for him to test his prowess right then and there.

Percy hadn't noticed her move or lean forward, but there she was, her face right next to his.

"Hmm." Percy hummed thoughtfully, her fingers still lingering on their joined hands. He ignored the feeling of the dainty but powerful fingers currently holding his own, forcibly opening his palm to look at the number received, shaking off Juliet's hold in the process.

 _112_

Not bad. A sure number for the last round.

"You know…" Juliet whispered softly in his ear, feeling disappointed when Percy ignored her touch, though it didn't discourage her. A boy with this much potential was rare and she could totally see what Miss Astra saw in him.

"I noticed this earlier… I should've known you'd have one." She fingered the gold cloth tied to his upper arm, discreetly poking and feeling his biceps. "Good luck. I know the mistress is expecting you to win." She whispered sultrily in his ear.

She was kinda wanting more though. To give him a reward of her own, something more. Something Astra couldn't give him without risking their positions.

 _ **Ding!**_

Percy was low-key mesmerized by Juliet's actions. He had shrugged off her hands easily but Juliet took it a step further and was squarely within his personal space. A piece of paper could have been easily trapped between their bodies, she was that close.

That was when the noise, like the sound of windchimes, reached him.

Acting on instinct, Percy grabbed Juliet around the waist, spinning them around until his body was between her and the line, fearing the noise came from some kind of jealous idiot, mad that Percy was standing so close to a pretty girl. That wasn't anything new to Percy, his friend Seth was always complaining how he'd get all the attention.

"Someone's forward." Juliet say coyly, pressing her body closer to his own.

"Shh… did you hear that?" Percy placed a finger to her lips, effectively shutting her up.

"Mmmh dmmd smmthn" Juliet mumbled around her finger before giving his finger a lick, an annoyed look on her face which morphed into a victorious grin when Percy sprung away from her, freeing her lips.

Retracting his finger with a yelp, Percy shot the girl a dirty look. "What was that for?"

"It was your fault." Juliet shot back. "And I said, I didn't hear anything." She repeated, watching him dust himself off. "Well… not anything out of place. The crowds are getting louder again."

"Are you sure? You didn't hear a bell or something?"

"Positive." Juliet reiterated.

He ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. "Maybe I just imagined it then. Sorry Juliet." Percy apologized before his eyes wandered to the quickly emptying line. It wasn't long now before the first round started and Percy wanted a good seat. "I should probably go. I'll see you later."

"Is that a _later_ later or a general later?" Juliet asked morosely, actually honestly feeling down about him leaving.

Hearing the sadness in her voice, something Percy was loathe to say he was happy about, he opened his arms in invitation of another hug. He knew it was weird he was glad about her being sad, but with the most likely reason for her melancholy being his leaving… it made him happy that she wasn't resentful of him.

Whether it was because she was used to such dubious acts like blackmail or something else, he was just grateful he didn't lose a friend today, though he didn't really regret having done what he did.

Thankfully, Percy wasn't left out to dry. Juliet collapsed into his open arms, giving him a hug that was just a little too tight and a little too long to be friendly.

"You can be bit wicked, can't you?" Juliet whispered in his ear while they were in their hug. "Not gonna lie, it's kinda hot."

Percy gulped, distinctly feeling the pleasant dips and curves of her body. She might not be as voluptuous or top-heavy as Astra was, having a body more akin to a runner, but no one could deny that Juliet was attractive. "And you've been a bad girl." Percy murmured back, his hands resting casually on her waist, her arms somehow coming up around his neck. "But don't worry. I won't tell a soul. We're even."

With that, Percy disentangled himself from her, her arms lingering still on his neck until the last possible moment. "I'll see you when I see you." He said, shooting her a roguish grin before turning away.

"Bye." Juliet murmured, waving goodbye to the sight of Percy's back, small as befitting of his age but broad and solid at the same time.

A heartbeat later, he was gone, well on his way back to the stands.

* * *

Arriving just in time for the start of the first round, a hotdog and a container of cheese fries on hand, Percy found Grover saving a few seats. He had just enough time to get a snack from outside the coliseum, which was fortunate because he was actually getting hungry.

Like Juliet said, they were setting up a festival out there, complete with food stalls, carnival games, banners, streamers and even a large stage for something. The reason for it being built just today was in an attempt to add even more surprise to the event, with Astra's newly announced end-of-the-year party not actually being part of the original plans.

There was everything you could ever think of in there. Hotdogs, French fries, churros, burritos, deep fried ice cream, rice bowls, and more. Percy actually lost a few minutes when a man steadily building up a traditional pizza oven with bricks caught his eye. He took the opportunity to pre-order one large pie for lunch, making sure to get a few slices of vegetarian pizza for Grover.

He resolved to walk around the festival properly later on. After he won the tournament, of course.

"Anyone we know going in?" Percy asked, handing Grover the cheese fries. The contestants had already taken to the field and were now simply waiting for the signal to begin.

"Yeah… a few of our classmates… that's Gregor over there. Last we talked, he's gonna sit with us so be sure to save that seat." Grover pointed with a cheese covered fry. "Maria said she's in the second round, so she's going to prepare. Plus, her dad's here. I think she's gonna go sit with him after her round." Grover explained. "And I think that's Carlie over there." He shifted his French fry to point at a helmeted girl right at the edge of the crowding contestants before finally going in his mouth.

"Yeesh. If Carlie's there, that means Ted and the other guys are too." Percy commented darkly. "Isn't that Seth over there?" He gave the field another once over, wincing at the sight of a particular costumed weirdo. "That guy's gonna get creamed." He said, noticing how many glares the white-haired cosplayer was getting.

"Principal Black really painted a target on your backs." Grover agreed, tugging slightly on the cloth on his arm. "But I bet you're really happy you got one, aren't you?" He teased, surreptitiously glancing at the VIP area where Astra was excitedly bouncing on the makeshift throne.

"Shut up Grover. The match is starting." Percy shushed him, stealing a fry from his plate before scarfing down his own hotdog quickly before hailing one of the food vendors lying in wait in the stands for a bottled water. He didn't want any distractions when the fights began. Movement appeared on the pitch where Percy's eyes were on but they quickly shifted to the VIP area when Astra started speaking.

"It's time everyone for our first round to begin!" She spoke, the presence of a working sound system – microphones and speakers – helping her. Unlike before, however, this time's announcements felt a bit more lackluster, with her voice missing some nuances in tone that it possessed when she was without technological assistance.

"Before we start, I'm here to explain the rules." Astra announced, walking to the edge of the balcony. The crowd cheered. It was actually the first time most of them even thought about rules, the energy and the atmosphere easily making them carried away.

Amidst the cheers, Astra pushed on, her voice now getting louder to overcome the audience. "The rules are simple. Fight to the DEATH!" She yelled, pumping a fist in the air.

Silence. Absolute silence descended. The chirping of crickets wouldn't be out of place and Percy was pretty sure a tumbleweed just blew past.

"Pffft… hahahahaha" That is until Astra started laughing. A full-blown, bellyaching, rolling-on-the-floor level laughter that broke the quietness of the arena. "Oh hahaha! Your faces… phehehe… their… their hilarious!"

 _SMACK_

It was unknown who started it but whatever the case, Percy found the intervening moments funny as hell. A slap sounded from somewhere in the stands, presumably the sound of palm meeting forehead and just like that, the dam broke and the stadium was filled with a symphony of the sweet sounds of hundreds of people facepalming.

 _SMACK… SMACK… SMACK_

Even the people on the field joined in on the action, unable to cope with the absurdity of Astra's morose prank. What made it worse was that it wasn't even a simultaneous reaction. It was like a wave of disbelieved responses, starting from one side of the stadium to the other.

Music to Percy's ears.

To top it all off, right at the end of the wave of smacks, a bird began a series of caws, disturbed by the unnatural sound of more than a hundred people's face meeting palm.

"Pffft… hahahahaha- yeowch!" Percy laughed, joining in Astra's renewed cackling right until the moment he felt a sharp impact to his ribs, courtesy of Grover's elbow. "Dude…" Percy admonished, sending Grover a dirty look while gingerly cradling his ribs. "That hurt."

"Look around you Perce."

When Percy did so, he was met with the blank gazes of everyone in his section. They were staring at him like he was some kind of unidentified mysterious animal.

He picked someone random from the crowd, a girl, and met her eyes with his own. Blank stare met blank stare, the girl getting redder by the second. It didn't take long, maybe three heartbeats, before she broke first, her gaze shifting downwards to avoid those blank green orbs.

This happened a few more times, a high-schooler, a parent, then another girl, with similar results. Right before he proceeded to his next target, the crowd, showing once more some sheep-like mentality, mimicked their peers and simply avoided his gaze entirely.

"Woah… that was awesome!" Grover praised from beside him with sparkling eyes. "You… you just looked at them! You didn't even say a word!"

"Heh… just one of my 108 skills." Percy bragged, examining his nails – macho-like, of course – before breaking out into a fit of giggles.

Grover looked at him weirdly, not really getting the reference. Percy didn't blame him, he didn't really get it either. It was just something Astra mentioned once on their break when they were building the dinosaur. Some kind of anime or something that Percy promised to watch with her sometime.

"Hey, look. The Principal stopped laughing." Grover pointed out which brought Percy's attention back towards the balcony.

Astra was wiping the tears out of her eyes, a few more chuckles escaping her lips. Mr. Brunner, in his roman legion armor, was seated beside her on his wheelchair, probably scolding the woman in that exceptionally effective way of his.

When Mr. Brunner scolded you, he didn't raise his voice or show any form of anger. Well, at least not burning anger. It was more like a cold fury, the steel in his eyes and a hard voice. That, or a heart-wrenching guilt trip.

Percy didn't really know what was worse.

Anyway, with Astra well and truly scolded for her inopportune joke, the announcements once again started up.

"Now… in all seriousness..." Another chuckle escaped, which stopped in its tracks before it could progress by a stern cough from the wheelchair-bound teacher. "Right, the rules." Astra cleared her throat. "It's pretty simple really. No intentional maiming, no… pffft…crotch shots… eyes are off limits… and of course no killing." Astra explained. "You're knocked out if... well… knocked out. You're also out if you're disarmed, or if you give up. And, of course, if you step out of bounds."

"Ehem. Out of bounds, Principal Black?" Brunner questioned, putting into words what everyone was thinking. The battle area was flat, without lines or anything. Just a plain circular patch of densely packed dirt in the middle of a coliseum made _especially_ for _today_.

Oh.

She broke out into a shit-eating grin at her last statement. Her look screamed 'I know something you don't.'

"Hehehe. Lookie here." She produced from somewhere on her person – Percy didn't know from where, her dress didn't have pockets – a small device with a single red button on it, displaying once more her ability to produce items from seemingly nowhere, just like the baguette or the corndog back during the field trip. "Compress at the center!" She yelled at the contestants on the field who shrugged and did as told.

Once they were tightly crowded right at the very middle of the circular field, Astra pressed the big red button. For a moment, nothing happened. Everyone was waiting with bated breath, and the lack of anything happening was a disappointing.

Then, slowly a large portion of the field started to rise. A mechanical whirring was in the air as gears turned, lifting a circular platform higher and higher into the air. At about half the height of the front row, maybe four-feet high, it stopped.

It resulted in a second, slightly smaller layer on top of the thirty-meter diameter pitch where all the boys and girls participating in the first melee were standing atop of. The height was small enough that the front row, the lowest row of seats, could still watch without issue and minimizing the risk of injury through ring-out. If there was anything to criticize, it would be the small space between the raised platform and the wall, a measly two-meters.

"That's not part of the designs!" Someone from the VIP balcony, an admin, yelled. By the way he was sneering at Astra, Percy assumed that he was one of the people against the tournament.

"Heh… I had it added in secret!" She proudly announced, a smile on her face and making a V-sign to the crowd.

"Now, now, Mr. Stevens. It was a good idea on the principal's part." Mr. Brunner said calmly, placating the irate admin. "Any method of eliminating one's competition without using excessive force to knock them out or disarming them is welcome. Or would you prefer our students beating each other black and blue?" He questioned sarcastically.

That shut the guy up, though the dirty look he sent Mr. Brunner's way was telling. Depending on how high up on the school ladder this guy was, it looked like Mr. Brunner was in some danger of losing his job.

Seeing that Mr. Brunner has got things handled, Astra continued the announcement of the rules. "Again, you're out if you step out of bounds… namely if you fall from the ring." She repeated, her earlier meaning now clear. "Questions? None? Well alright! Let's get this party started!" She yelled.

The crowd cheered. Finally, after a few hours delay, the action starts.

* * *

A bell rang from somewhere in the arena at her words and the competitors either quickly sprang away from each other, keeping distance or jumped into the free-for-all right in the middle.

While Grover was cheering along with the crowd, Percy was busy taking everything in. Every movement of the fighters was being analyzed by Percy, aided by his ADHD.

The flashiest thing that happened was that right at the start of the match, around half of the thirty fighters currently taking the field, with Percy absently noting Seth leading the group, was beating on the other possessor of the golden cloth.

"For thy lady's sweet lips!" Seth belted out, a war cry that boggled Percy's mind. It was just so… weird. Yet at the same time, Percy could actually see Seth's point, Astra was really worth fighting for, but he wouldn't be caught dead yelling out at the top of his lungs something similar.

He had some semblance of dignity, after all.

Seth's cohorts took up the call, replying to Seth's battle cry with vigor. The crowd of bodies hid the reality of what was happening to the white-haired Dante but the sounds were enough to paint a pretty clear picture.

When the crowd dispersed, their victim was sprawled on the ground clearly unconscious. His once immaculate and, not gonna lie, badass get-up was in tatters. There were holes in his red overcoat and his skull-adorned greatsword was a few feet out of his reach.

"Huzzah! We have succeeded in our quest, my comrades!" Seth exclaimed, raising his prize, the gold cloth, like it was the holy grail or something. A feral grin was on his face and he excitedly turned to face the VIP balcony, his face morphing to what he thought passed for a charming smile. "Wait for me, fair maiden. For I will prove victorious so that I may lay claim to your delightful lips." He declared to her proudly.

To his disappointment, he was not rewarded with a pleased smile or an approving nod. Astra looked distinctly creeped out. Maybe this wasn't a good idea after all…

His 'comrades' however had a different idea. While Seth was spewing flowery words, they were glancing at each other, silently coming to a decision. Horrified as Seth was with the reaction of his 'fair maiden', the other guys took the opportunity and charged him, uttering the same battle cry that once originated from Seth.

"For thy lady's sweet lips!"

A chance to win the gold for themselves.

This time, the crowd left just enough space to see what was happening to their betrayed leader. Percy winced, seeing how brutal Seth was mobbed. One of them thrust their swords at his stomach, another batted at his sides and some of them went for his feet.

Of course, when the mob once again dispersed, the cloth was in another's possession. He raised it proudly in the air, boasting about how he'll be the one to come out victorious.

A moment later, he was also mobbed by a crowd of jealous and hopeful males. Before any hits could strike him down, the boy flung the cloth away to land in the eager hands of someone else, who, in turn, was also mobbed.

That was how the majority of the fighters were knocked out. In a horrible rendition of hot-potato, with whoever holding the gold being mobbed by his once compatriots if they failed to fling the cloth away in time.

"Yeah… you're doomed man." Grover said from beside him, patting his shoulder comfortingly. If his round was anything like this… he might not come out the same as when he came in.

"I'll be fine." Percy groused, shrugging off Grover's hand from his shoulder. He had stopped looking at the mob, though his eyes somehow strayed back to the brutality of it. Still, most of his attention was focused on the ones lingering on the edges.

Carlie stood right at the very end of the platform, her feet not even a full foot away from the edge. She was being ignored for the most part but whoever came close was treated to the full force of a girl who grew up with Ted Robins.

All those years of playing tag and hide-and-seek, actually somewhat keeping up with the moronically athletic boy did wonders for her. The teen girl lacked the training that most of Percy's group had but she made up for it by using her impressive reflexes and quickness, feinting her opponents into unfavorable positions and threatening them with quick snap kicks.

No wonder she was the ace striker of the female soccer team, the only sports team that Yancy was actually winning with.

She was doing well for herself, especially since only the stragglers actually taking a go at her. Nimble on her feet and quick on the swing, a true testament to her skill. Percy noticed that she favored defeating her opponents by ring-out, dodging her enemies by a hair's breadth and pushing them off with a nudge of her sword or her leg. Since she was already positioned close to the edge, this tactic worked quite well.

It was an effective way to defeat opponents who were eager to attack and were rushing her. However, when they wised up and stopped rushing her and instead went to wait for Carlie to come close to them, she mixed things up.

Under Percy's observant eye, Carlie started sprinting towards one of the guys suited up in fencing gear from Percy's age group. The guy had been baiting her, a gloved hand daring her to come.

A foot away from her adversary, Carlie slowed to a jog. Her opponent thrust at her with his thin rapier right at her chest. Seeing the incoming thrust, Carlie tilted her body to the right, almost falling at the angle her body was taking, and used the stock iron sword she had to slash at her opponent's masked face.

It was a horrible strike. For one thing, she was terribly off-balanced. Her weight didn't shift properly, so there was no power to the slash since she only used her arms to swing the iron blade.

The guy ducked under the blow, Carlie's blade barely grazing the top of the synthetic material of his mask. From her tilted position, Carlie gravity take over. She started falling to her side, her feet leaving the ground and her body going parallel to the ground.

Percy didn't see but the guy actually chuckled at her mistake, assured of his victory.

Then, the other shoe dropped.

Calling upon her football background, Carlie pulled back her powerful legs and kicked out at her opponent with the full striking power of a sideways volley.

The kick impacted right on the padded side of her opponent's fencing garb. Even through the padding, he felt the blow right down to his internal organs and he doubled over in pain, his rapier lay forgotten as it slipped past his nerveless fingers.

A pincer attack that took away her opponent's ability to dodge left or right. The fencer had no chance, especially since he was feeling smug about her seemingly rookie mistake and was caught totally of guard by the second hit.

Springing quickly to her feet, Carlie dashed to where the rapier lay on the floor and kicked it away, effectively disarming her opponent. Her adversary finished, knocked out of the tournament, Carlie quickly went back to her position right at the edge of the platform before any of the other fighters had a chance to challenge her or, god forbid, surround her. She was very doubtful her style would work against multiple opponents.

With that encounter handily won by his friend, Percy turned his attention back to the middle of the arena where the game of 'hot-potato' was also reaching its conclusion. There were only two remaining of the dozen or so idiots from Seth's fractured faction.

Splayed all around them were the incapacitated forms of their former allies, some of them groaning in pain even as they lay immobilized on the ground. Seth was among this number.

Percy wanted to say it was an epic battle between the two. That it was a display of talent and skill that could have earned them a place in Mr. Brunner's exclusive summer camp. Unfortunately, it wasn't.

It was a horrible mess of boys playing men, lacking in the elegance or power that a trained swordsman like Percy had honed with training. It was like expecting a boxing match but getting a slap fight instead.

When the winner was finally decided, it wasn't through a meticulously thought out plan or a game-breaking maneuver to get the better of his opponent. No, itt was thanks to sheer dumb luck that the loser tripped on Dante, the very first casualty of this round, and fell flat on his face. The winner of this epic battle of wills then proceeded to take the gold cloth from the unlucky idiot's hands, held his sword over his head, and ask for his resignation.

And thus, after a lot of pain and betrayal, from the largest faction on the pitch which history took to calling 'The Order of Perverted Morons,' was the winner of the gold cloth was decided. At least, until someone else decided to join in on the party.

Gregor dashed at the remaining member of the Order and swung his sword at his helmet covered head. The last member of the faction was too busy reveling in his joy at winning the real prize that he didn't even notice Gregor approach and got the full brunt of the attack.

"Hngh." Gregor didn't mean to hit him that hard. Well, he did but that was more the rager side of him overpowering the tight hold he'd been keeping it under. He expected his opponent to dodge or at least block him but at least even with a direct hit, the guy was durable enough to keep his life. Since the start of the battle, his rager traits had activated and he'd expended a lot of his focus into trying to control the adrenaline-fueled killing machine that he could easily become.

His only boon was that the sword was blunted, and it was something that he barely considered to be an actual weapon, reminding what was the usually berserk rager that it was not a real battle, thus only partially activating the rager trance. With the partial trance, Gregor was faster, stronger and his vision was only fractionally splintered but he had a semblance of control. If it was a sword with a real bladed-edge, Gregor wouldn't even think about joining the tournament. The blood-bath would be legendary.

As the unfortunate bastard slumped to the ground like a sack of flour, Gregor snatched the golden cloth from his hand. He pocketed the cloth before dashing once more into the fray.

"Did Greg just…" Percy stammered, shocked at how fast the turn of events went. He didn't know Gregor could move like that, or be that ferocious. He heard rumors of it, sure, but actually seeing his usually soft-spoken friend like that was surprising.

"Yeah…" Grover answered.

"What the actual hell?! Is he aiming for my Astra too?!" Percy whisper-yelled. He was overreacting, sure, but he was still careful not to expose them, whatever they are.

"So… it's 'my Astra' now?" Grover teased, an amused inflection in his voice. "That's a pretty bold statement."

"That's…" Percy opened and closed his mouth, trying and failing to present an excuse, his face sporting large patches of red and beads of sweat slowly trickling down.

Grover laughed at his friend's consternation. "No worries, man. Besides, Gregor's gonna take it out of play." He tapped the cloth tied to my arm. "This'll be the only one left. It was my idea."

"Uh… thanks?" Percy didn't know whether to be annoyed or grateful.

"You're welcome. We, that is Gregor and me, thought that it would be more entertaining if someone like Seth reached the finals and you'd have to beat him within an inch of his life, but then we thought that it would be bad if he did get beaten to within an inch of his life so…" He shrugged. "Better we eliminate the chance entirely."

"Uh huh…" He was definitely leaning more towards annoyed. Did his friends really think he'd do something like that? On second thought… yep, he definitely would.

Ignorant of his friends' conversation, Gregor was busy wreaking havoc on the remaining contestants still on the field. After taking possession of the cloth for later disposal, the rager gave the battlefield a cursory glance, seeing that out of the 30 contestants, there were only under a dozen left.

Seeing Grover's unguarded state as he continued to survey the state of the melee, an opportunistic contestant, a high-school teen both taller and bulkier than Gregor himself, thought to take down the smaller boy in what would amount to the least pain possible. After all, even though the participants willingly joined in the fighting, it didn't mean they had the proper mindset. Most of them had no desire to hurt their schoolmates and would almost always choose the path of least injury, just like how Carlie preferred to defeat her opponents by ring out.

Choosing to simply knock the boy to the ground and demand surrender, the teen charged Gregor's blind spot, shoulder first, in what would have usually amounted to Gregor falling flat on his face. Unfortunately for him, with almost inhuman reaction speed, Gregor sidestepped his shoulder charge, the younger boy's body clearing the teen at the very last fraction of a second. Having braced his body for impact, the sudden lack of resistance made the older boy stumble, giving Gregor the perfect chance to take the older boy out.

His reflexes and his speed, not to mention his ferocity, affected by his rager mode, Gregor's blade was a blur as it swung towards the teen's head, an automatic response made by the rager. It was like a beacon to Gregor's rager sight, the splintered vision that he often experienced that outlined the fatal points on the body, so that was where Gregor swung his sword.

After all, that was what he was used to. Unlike the others there, Gregor had a warrior's mentality, and even the temperament of a rager. He spent the last few years down in the bowels of the earth, fighting a war that could barely be considered his against opponents that outclassed any human.

But he wasn't fighting that war anymore. He wasn't in the Underland. His opponents weren't giant, man-killing rats, they were human teenagers that weren't nearly as durable.

That was why he was hesitant to join, but the prize was just too tempting. It could solidify his family's see-sawing decision on whether or not they would move to Virginia. If all of them, Gregor and both his sisters, were offered scholarships to a school as prestigious as Yancy, then a lot of their problems would be solved.

He counted on his experience and his unique rager status to pull through. He actually expected to win without any trouble at all. That was, of course, as long as he kept control. Gregor was sure that killing or even just severely injuring his schoolmates would get him anything but expulsion, at the very least.

The surprise attack caught him off-guard, however, making his tightly enforced self-control waver. The lapse resulted in the automatic swing of his sword at a potentially lethal point, the attacker's head.

It was then that he the he once more got hold of what self-control he had left.

Scrambling once Gregor realized just where his sword was poised to strike, he did his best to redirect his slash, losing much of the power in the process. Still, his redirection very nearly didn't matter. If he was even a second, no, a split second too late in his adjustment, his attacker would most likely be in a coma, if not dead.

Once a swordsman committed, they couldn't simply pull their blades back with a thought. Momentum wouldn't let them. Redirecting a sword strike mid-slash wasn't easy either, especially when it was launched at the speed and power Gregor did.

That was why Gregor had to use his whole body to shift the point of contact. Instead of putting all his weight and strength into a slash to the head, Gregor aimed his sword lower with all his considerable skill and might.

Shedding a lot of power and leaving only speed, contorting his body into an uncomfortable and off-balanced position to make sure that the power built up didn't go into the swing, leaving all the force to his exponentially less powerful arms and only his arms, Gregor managed to redirect the trajectory of his blade so that it hit the teen's leather-covered shoulder.

The surprise attacker screamed in pain at impact. Even though Gregor's desperate maneuver severely weakened the blow, Gregor was still a rager. Superior strength, speed, reflexes and ferociousness were par for the course and it showed. The teen's sword clattered to the floor, his sword arm dangling listlessly, maybe dislocated. Still, at least his brain wasn't splattered all over his helmet.

Seeing that his last-ditch attempt to redirect his sword had succeeded, Gregor let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He was actually scared that he'd almost killed a person in what really amounted to a simple game, not a war. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to participate?

Gregor really considered pulling out of the competition right then and there. Letting go of his sword and picking up his injured victim to deliver to the infirmary was on his mind.

After all, was the prize really worth it if the cost was Gregor killing someone? Was it worth the guilt and sleepless nights? The nightmares of him falling to his death after his partner died being compounded by the horror of someone's blood on his hands?

Looking down at his surprise attacker who had crumpled to the ground and was gently cradling his dislocated shoulder, Gregor thought that yes. It was.

Even if he gave up now, it wouldn't change the fact that he'd already injured someone. It didn't change the fact that his rager side would still act up on occasion. It wouldn't help his family if he gave up without trying.

Steeling his resolve, Gregor tightened the grip on his sword before calmly placing it in its sheathe, the rules not saying anything about such, in an effort to put a metaphorical lid on his more combative instincts. Weapon safely stored within the leather scabbard, he stood guard over his downed foe. The defeated wouldn't be carried off the field until the end of the round and the least Gregor could do was to make sure he wouldn't be accidentally disturbed by the other fighters. Well, that and apologize, which he promptly did so to the groaning teen.

"It's fine, man…" The teen replied, his voice still tinged with pain. "This… we're in a fight. I attacked you first… don't worry about it."

"Still, I roughed you up pretty bad." Gregor answered, still standing vigil over the downed boy. "How's the shoulder?"

"It hurts… but it's actually more uncomfortable than painful." The teen said, surprising Gregor. He'd had his fair share of injuries and he could tell from experience that a dislocated shoulder hurt like hell. "I'm part of the football team… so really I'm kinda used to things like this. Name's Tim, by the way."

"Gregor." He introduced himself, an eyebrow raised. "Are you sure you're okay? I think your shoulder popped out." Gregor asked as he watched Tim shift into a sitting position.

"I'll be fine." Tim assured. "Though my pride's another matter." He said, looking Gregor up and down. "What's up with the 6th Grader's lately? There's one guy in your year that played football with the team and he scored six touchdowns!"

"You know Percy? He's a friend."

"Figures." Tim grumbled. "You're friend's a monster. And you're not that far from him. How the hell can you move like that?!" He exclaimed, referring to Gregor sidestepping his shoulder charge, before grimacing in pain as his shoulder was jostled by his exclamation.

"We're not that bad…" Grover defended weakly.

"Percy… that guy can tear through a defense composed of high school athletes like they were chickens running around with their heads cut off…" Tim stated in a matter of fact tone, making Gregor hang his head in defeat. There was no arguing with cold hard facts. "And you… you dislocated my shoulder with one swing, even with protection!" He yelled, a bit of resentment for his disqualification leaking out.

"Ha. So you are salty about it!" Gregor accused victoriously, a finger pointed at the downed teen. Receiving an unamused look from Tim, the boy coughed awkwardly into a closed fist. "Right… well… I really am sorry about it." Gregor repeated his apology in an abashed tone. "Sincerely sorry. Please, if there's any way I could make it up to you…"

Tim was going to wave the apology off, he really did forgive the boy, but something in Gregor's pocket caught his eye. "Well…" He started off, his gaze locked on the bit of gold cloth peeking out of Gregor's pocket. "There is one thing…"

Seeing what caught the older teen's attention, Gregor quickly hid the protruding cloth deeper in his pocket. "Sorry man. I already promised a friend that I'd take this thing out."

Tim sighed. "Well… it was worth a shot. I wasn't in it for the kiss anyways. I just wanted the notoriety since you little kids seem to be growing into big-shots."

Gregor nodded. He understood some of what Tim was saying. Gregor was still young and had room to grow. Tim also had room to grow but the simple fact that a couple of sixth graders were outshining high school athletes could easily dent Tim's pride.

"Sorry, man… but really my friend'll beat me to within an inch of my life if I put the Principal's chastity in jeopardy." Gregor told his downed companion seriously, not a shred of humor in his voice.

Ted looked at him, seeing the honesty and a little bit of fear in the boy's expression. "I'll take your word for it." He said, grimacing. If Gregor who had easily dislocated his arm in a single strike was scared, then he didn't even want to know.

* * *

"So… that happened." Grover deadpanned, moments after the final bell signaling the end of the first round sounded. The platform had sunk back into the ground, letting the contestants retreat back inside the arena tunnel.

Percy merely grunted in acknowledgement, his thoughts still swirling around in his head. Observations, weaknesses, strengths, quirks, habits, all of these things regarding his possible opponents he was analyzing silently.

"To be fair, it was pretty action-packed. A lot more than what I actually expected, anyway." Grover continued. "I mean, Carlie did pretty well… and Greg killed it."

It only took a few more minutes after Gregor took out Tim that the bell rang. The four advancing contestants were Carlie, Gregor, one of Percy's classmates and a 10th Grader that Percy didn't recognize. The other sixth graders were doing well to represent, proving that training could trump superior physical traits, though they ended up falling off near the end.

"Yeah…" Percy answered absently. "When do you think the next round's gonna start?" If he were to face Carlie, then he'd have to be most wary of her mobility and exceptional balance. Ring outs would be something to look out for along with her powerful legs. Then again, she was a bit too green with her swordsmanship so Percy knew he could somehow take advantage of that.

"It can't be any more than ten minutes." Grover put out, not really sure. "If they want these battle royal type of matches done before lunch…" He brought out his phone from his pocket, checking the time. "it's already 10:30."

Considering that the first bout took just under thirty minutes before the victors were decided, the organizers really didn't have that much time for intermissions if they wanted to have the lunch break at a reasonable hour.

"Actually, do you think they have somewhere to pee?" Grover asked. It was a fair question since the stadium was relatively knew and construction was still actually ongoing outside for the festival.

"I think I saw some portable bathrooms outside. Just ask some of the vendors setting up shop." Percy answered, still thinking about ways to beat any of the four advancing. He could probably simply body the other 6th grader, maybe even the 10th grader, but Gregor was another story. His friend was faster and stronger than what he expected and it looked like even though he didn't take part in the training sessions, Gregor had fought with a sword before. He looked comfortable with a sword in his hand but there were still some holes Percy knew he could exploit.

"I'll be right back. Be sure to save at least three seats! Gregor should be sitting with us." Grover reminded him as the crutch-bound boy stood up to go to the bathroom. It was kinda weird since they had such prime seats but the entire front row of their section was empty.

After every match, each fighter was obligated to report to the infirmary that was set up somewhere inside the stadium. Percy saw one of the servant-girls under Juliet escort the still standing contestants from the field to the said infirmary, while a few male servants carried off those who were unconscious in stretchers.

Gregor was no exception, so it would probably take him another few minutes before he showed up. Hopefully, he wouldn't miss the start of the second match.

"Got it. I'll see you soon, G-man." Percy waved goodbye to his friend as Grover started crutching his way through the crowds to the exit. He would have gone with him but he was a bit too absorbed in his thoughts. Besides, they weren't girls that had to have company to go to the bathroom.

Having a few minutes of privacy, Percy really started to go to town on his planning. Instead of just analyzing his accumulated data on his potential foes, he started image training. Putting himself into possible situations where he used what he saw in his opponents and visualizing how he would get around such a situation.

Counters, reversals and even stopgaps were swirling around in Percy's ADHD afflicted mind, his condition actually helping him think faster and to think broader. He was sure that when it came to the real deal, it would also help him notice things that are seemingly unimportant but could potentially be the key to victory and that it would make his reactions faster.

Regarding the first three competitors, charging them and overpowering them in close would be his best bet. Percy didn't want to toot his own horn lest his ego get inflated, but he knew that he was one of the most physically gifted students in school. The way he could keep up with Ted was proof of that.

Furthermore, Carlie couldn't use that volley-like kick of hers up close, or at least it's effectiveness would diminish greatly without the run up. In case she did get to build up her momentum and charge Percy, he was already thinking of a way to defend against the attack.

Gregor was another matter. Percy was actually doubting his capability to simply overpower Gregor with superior strength and speed since his normally shy friend had actually displayed similar attributes. Instead, what Percy was hoping to capitalize on was Gregor's…

"Excuse me, is this seat taken, young man?"

His thoughts were interrupted when an older gentleman suddenly spoke. Percy wasn't paying attention to his surroundings, consumed as he was with his musings, that he didn't even notice the man approach.

"Oh… I'm sorry but my friend just went to the bathroom." Percy told the man, who he noticed had stern Asian features. "But that seat's open, if you like." He said, pointing to the space right next to his immediate right.

The man bowed to him politely and Percy found himself mirroring the movement. "My thanks." The man gracefully perched himself on the stone seating, looking over the coliseum with a speculative eye. "I thought this was going to be some small tournament held in the school gymnasium." He said, making idle conversation with Percy. "Color me surprised to see this production."

"Heh… let's just say that Principal Black is a very… eccentric woman." Percy said, a small amused smile forming on his face. "I'm Percy Jackson, by the way."

The as of yet unknown man raised an eyebrow at his name but it quickly evaporated to a grateful expression. "Ah… Mr. Jackson. I've heard a lot about you. Thank you very much for taking care of my daughter." He said, giving him another small bow from his seat.

"Daughter?"

"My apologies. It seems I have forgotten my manners. Kobayashi Shingo, it is a pleasure to meet you, Percy Jackson." Mr. Kobayashi introduced, sending another small bow his way which Percy reflexively returned.

"It's nice to meet you too, sir." Percy said, realizing just who this person was and not knowing how to react. From what his friend told him about her father, this man couldn't even be bothered to take care of her properly, hence boarding school, but it looks like the man was nice though a bit straight-laced. "Maria is a wonderful girl and a good friend. It's more like she takes cares of me rather than the other way around." He told the man, a bit of steel slipping into his voice.

"I am very proud of my daughter." Shingo ignored the hostile undertones in Percy's words. "Though I am ashamed to admit that I haven't been doing my best as a father."

"At least your man enough to admit it." Percy grumbled, but Shingo heard him. It was at least something Percy could respect as a man.

Ignoring the boy's grumbled words, Shingo went on unperturbed. He already knew where his shortcomings are in his role of father but knowing and overcoming are two very different things.. "Do you know when Ma-chan is going in?"

Percy looked at the man questioningly. "Ma-chan?"

"My daughter." Shingo clarified.

"Oh…" Percy scratched the back of his head awkwardly. Ma-chan? What the hell was that. "She's going next, I think."

"So, I'll get to see her soon." Shingo mumbled, nodding to himself approvingly before turning back to him. "And when is your match, Mr. Jackson."

"Please, just call me Percy." Said the boy, realizing that he'd been getting called Mr. Jackson the whole time and not liking it one bit. "And I'm in the fourth round."

"Ma-chan has told me a lot about your skills. I'm looking forward to your performance, Percy." Shingo told him. "Please put on a good show for this old man." He said jokingly.

"Heh… you're pretty close to Maria aren't you… even though you had her enroll here." Percy bluntly stated, uncaring of the wince that appeared on Shingo's face. "You even talk to her often by the sound of it. Plus, there was that sword you gave her." Percy sent him a suspicious look. "Bonding over swordsmanship and the injuries generated by such an activity…"

"I love my daughter, make no doubt." Shingo defended, getting Percy's point. "I know that some of my countrymen, especially the traditional ones, would prefer sons and would at most treat their daughters as tools to further their family status, but I don't buy into that." The man almost looked angry that Percy made such presumptions. "The Kobayashi family, my family, were samurais. We hold honor in high regard and by the gods am I honored to have my wife and my daughter. I would not degrade my honor by wishing for a son when my daughter is perfect… but I just… when I look at Maria…"

"She reminds you of your wife… the one who died." Seeing how the man had trouble getting the words out, Percy finished for him bluntly. It wasn't too far a leap. Aside from the coloring and the subtle Asian feature, Maria really didn't resemble her father.

The glare Shingo shot at him would make normal boys run crying to their mommies. Percy was not a normal boy. "It isn't anything to be ashamed of, sir. But sending your daughter away… gifts won't mean shit. Maria already lost her mother. She shouldn't lose a father too."

The glare kept up for several more moments before Shingo finally let out a sigh. The boy might be a bit rude but what he was saying was also true. Painful and blunt but true. "I know, and I'm trying, but I can't forget about my wife. My beautiful Emma."

"You don't need to forget about her. Mourn her, remember her, but don't ignore your daughter because of her." Percy didn't know where his words were coming from but they just kept going. Maybe it was from some deep part of him, the part that resents his father for leaving being projecting into Maria's situation.

Shingo himself didn't know why he was talking about this sort of thing to someone who was virtually a stranger. Still, the boy made sense and no matter how much Shingo didn't want to acknowledge it, right.

"You're pretty wise for your age, aren't you Percy." Shingo commented, steering the conversation into lighter topics. "I'm glad my daughter has a friend like you… please continue to take such good care of her."

"Don't worry. She's a friend. I take care of my friends." Percy assured the man. He was, however, not going to let him off the hook that easily. "But what I want to know is what you're going to do to take care of her. I'm just her friend. We just met properly a few months ago. You're her flesh and blood."

Shingo grimaced. He didn't expect this unassuming boy to be this unrelenting, but it was something that Shingo could respect. "We're going home this summer. I'll… I'll have a chat with Ma-chan." A good man this boy will make.

"Good." Percy nodded approvingly at the older man, before noticing someone approaching from the crowd. "I think my friends are here." He said, nodding in the direction where Gregor and Grover were coming from before standing to greet them, Shingo following along.

"Hey Perce." Gregor greeted, holding out a fist which was promptly met with Percy's own. "Look who I ran into." He pulled someone from behind Grover, who just looked amused at the turn of events.

Great. Grover amused usually means an annoyed Percy. But first…

"Guys… this is Mr. Shingo Kobayashi, Maria's father." Percy introduced, stopping Gregor's attempts at pulling the person into Percy's line of sight.

"It's nice to meet you boys." Shingo greeted, bowing in the traditional way of his people. "I've heard about you from Ma-chan."

Grover sent him a questioning look, prompting to mouth Maria's name at his friend. Thankfully, Grover understood, giving him a discreet nod.

"Uh… hello sir. My name is Grover Underwood." He tried to bow as well but his crutches got in the way, so he settled for a respectful nod instead.

"And I'm Gregor Walden. Nice to meet you sir." Gregor had no such trouble that Grover had and managed a deep bow.

"Hi Percy." The person revealed from behind Grover waved at him shyly before turning to Shingo. "Hello sir, Jane Anthony."

"Hello Jane." Shingo said, bowing to the girl. "Shall we sit?" He said mostly to Grover, seeing as he was the one on crutches.

Grover rubbed at his legs. "Please." He said, crutching his way to a seat.

Percy didn't fail to notice how Grover didn't sit down beside him like earlier. Instead, he chose a place on Percy's left as opposed to his right, Gregor following him whilst whistling a jaunty tune and carrying a bucket of popcorn.

Shrugging at the weird occurrence, Percy turned to the revealed female.

"Hey Jane. Nice seeing you. Will you be joining us?" Percy asked politely. Jane was… a friend. Kinda. She took a long time before she got comfortable being around Percy, acting all shy and not even able to look him in the eye. When she finally did, however, she started flirting with him. Shamelessly.

To be honest with himself, Percy also found it fun to have some harmless flirting between them and make the girl blush. Jane looked really adorable when her face was all red. It was also good practice for Astra.

"If it isn't too much trouble." Jane told him, tentatively sitting on his left, in between Percy and Grover, leaving a space open between him and Mr. Kobayashi on his right. "Hi…" She mumbled at Percy once she was firmly sat beside him.

"Hello to you too." Percy sent her a smile which prompted her to look down to hide her burning face. "I like your hair today…"

"Thanks." She mumbled, a hand going up to stroke her hair self-consciously. Percy had to admit that Jane was one of the better-looking girls he knew. She did different things with her looks almost every week, usually changing up her hair. This time, her luscious light-brown locks fell in gentle waves with red highlights and a cute little rabbit themed hairclip holding up her bangs. "You look really handsome too."

He chuckled, sending a smile down her way. "So… why aren't you with your friends? Or your brother for that matter?"

"You getting rid of me already?" Jane pouted, the redness of her face getting under control. "Meanie…" She sent him a teasing smile.

"I didn't mean it like that… it's just…" Percy ran his eyes down her form slowly, making sure Jane herself saw him checking her out. "I'm worried what'd happen if you walked around alone… you look ravishing today." He said, his eyes locking with her warm chocolate-colored ones.

Janes tongue darted out to lick her suddenly dry lips, making Percy's eyes dart to the delectable, bow-shaped flesh. "My… my friends decided to walk around the festival than… watch the tournament…" She was out of breath, her voice breathy. "my brother's coming up next so…"

 _CRUNCH_

The surprising noise ruined the atmosphere, making the pair turn to the source. It was Gregor, a hand gently cradling his jaw with Grover glaring at him. "Damn kernel…" He said, spitting out a failed popcorn. "sorry... please proceed."

"Dude… they were getting to the good part." Grover complained, a handful of popcorn halfway to his mouth.

"I said I was sorry." Gregor said reaching for the popcorn.

What the hell. Was Percy's life a soap opera or something?

"Ugh…" Percy heard Jane whimper pitifully, the girl hiding her embarrassed face by burying into Percy's shoulder.

"Look what you guys did." Percy scolded his friends, the smell of Jane's coconut scented shampoo swirling around his senses. "There, there." A hand came up to softly stroke the girl's silky locks.

"Hmm…" The girl nuzzled into his shoulder, her face hot as she felt Percy's gently fingers running down her hair. Then she lifted her face just enough to stick her tongue out childishly at Grover and Gregor.

"DAMN IT SHITTY PERCY! STOP FLIRTING WITH MY SISTER!"

"I think the contestants are coming out." Grover said dryly after swallowing a mouthful of popcorn.

"You think?" Percy said sarcastically as Jane jumped away from him with a scowl on her face.

"SHUT UP JOHNNY! BUTT OUT OF MY LOVE LIFE!" Jane yelled, her hands cupped around her mouth to direct her shouting.

"I'M YOUR BROTHER! I HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE WORRIED!" The not-so-closet sis-con yelled back, his fist shaking angrily at Percy like the grumpy old man yelling at kids to get off his lawn.

As the Anthony siblings started a shouting match that would be the stuff of legends, Percy buried his head in his hands. Not this again. This always happens when John gets involved whenever Percy was in Jane's presence, even when they weren't even talking.

An amused chuckle from Percy's right brought Percy out of the safe cradle of his hands. "You're a real ladies' man, aren't you Percy?" Shingo commented, his voice brimming with amusement. Then, without warning, his voice went cold and a harsh glare was sent the boy's way. "I hope you're not stringing my daughter along when you're not being serious."

Percy gulped. Shingo's normal glare he can handle. A father's threat, however… "Of course, sir I would never think of Maria that way." He assured, though Grover's cough that sounded suspiciously like 'too late' made his words less believable.

"Are you saying my daughter isn't good enough for you?" Doing a complete 180, Shingo demanded why Percy wasn't showing interest in his daughter.

"Hnggh…" Percy moaned pitifully while Gregor and Grover simply chuckled in amusement at the predicament their friend found themselves in. "It's just… I'm… Maria is…" Percy reached, trying to find a way to explain himself when his gaze landed on someone in the VIP balcony.

Astra was looking at them, particularly at Percy, and ice filled the boy's veins. He'd been flirting pretty heavily with Jane a moment ago. Did Astra see? Of course, she did. Heck, the girl was the center of attention, vehemently defending herself from her brother's attempts to keep her from Percy's hands. Was she mad? That was the normal response, wasn't it?

Then her actual expression broke through the fog of worry that started to build up in Percy's perception. Astra didn't look mad. Not at all. In fact, she looked amused, with a smile on her face and even a wink being sent his way.

The ice in his veins melted. Astra wasn't angry at him. It almost looked like she didn't mind that he was flirting with other girls. Of course, they weren't together, not officially, so maybe that was why.

The thought made Percy frown. Did that mean what he thinks it meant? Astra didn't mind that he was flirting with Jane, so was she also expecting Percy not to mind it if she was flirting with someone else? He sure hoped not, because even though it would be a double standard, Percy wouldn't be okay with that.

Even the idea of someone other than him making his Astra laugh the way he made her, blush the way she did when in his presence or even touch her the way he did all those months ago on their date made Percy's blood boil

' _Kindest, Bravest, Most Loyal…'_

The words hit him like a truck.

He'd promised he'd be a man who was the kindest, the bravest and the most loyal, yet here he was, flirting with girls left and right. Jane, Juliet and to some extent, Maria, very desirable girls that any male would be lucky to be with but they weren't Astra. He didn't promise them anything, he promised Astra.

Another glance at Astra's amused face made Percy drown in his guilt at the perceived betrayal he'd thoughtlessly conducted.

Turning to the confused Shingo, who had been wondering why the boy he had been threatening had suddenly gone deathly silent, Percy finally managed to address the man's concerns in a way he was satisfied. "Mr. Kobayashi… your daughter is a wonderful girl and any guy would be lucky to even have her attention…" Percy started in a grave voice, and Shingo, though pleased at the boy's words felt the 'but' coming a mile away. "but… I already have someone." No matter how hard he tried not to, he unwittingly sent a quick glance towards the VIP area. Fortunately for him, Shingo hadn't noticed but his two male friends had and were totally enraptured in the drama unfolding, silently munching on their popcorn. "I haven't been really acting the best but when all is said and done, I'm dedicated to her." He said, a hand coming up to his chest where the fang pendant was hidden under his shirt. "Only her."

Percy had resolved to talk to Astra later and clear things up a bit more. He was still pretty adamant about not being in an official relationship with her, he still wasn't ready for that, but he wanted to know just what she expected of him and him of her.

Shingo had a speculative look on his face as he studied the words imparted by the strange boy he had met just today. For someone who has yet to even reach their 20s, Percy Jackson was unusually mature.

A twelve-year old that liked to flirt with a pretty girl was something he could deal with. He'd seen worse after all, he'd lived in Kuoh where there were a group of boys who were infamous for such things. But to shamelessly and solemnly declare his devotion to a woman, and Shingo could see it in the boy's eyes that he was deathly serious, was something that the man found harder to swallow.

What could have happened to this young man to be so sure of this? What environment did he grow up in? How was he raised? How is a boy of twelve capable of scolding a man like him, making him feel lacking as a man as he did so, and not flinch when faced with Shingo's admittedly sharp glare? How come he was so sure of his dedication to this lady of his, as young as he was?

As the bell finally tolled the beginning of the second melee, Shingo sat back to contemplate this wondrous young man as he watched his daughter display her skill using the sword he had commissioned for her.

Percy Jackson was a mystery. Whether good or bad he did not yet discern. Now, how did this mystery influence his daughter?

Shingo was to soon find out.

* * *

Unlike the earlier rounds, there were no explanations of rules, jokes told in bad taste or symphonies of disbelief. To Maria's relief, there also weren't any holders of the special prize in her group.

She had been able to catch glimpses of the first round from her place of preparation and to say she was absolutely disgusted by the clusterfuck it was reduced to was a fair observation. Seth and his fellows were utterly disgraceful to gang up on whoever was in possession of that damnable cloth.

Her sensibilities as an honorable warrior of the Kobayashi family condemned the way they, mostly older and more developed specimens of the more stupid gender, ganged up on a deluded sixth grader. She knew he was annoying and all, what with him coming to a fighting tournament wearing something as impractical as cosplay, but did they really have to beat him that badly?

And to think Maria was even remotely acquainted with their so-called leader, the one who would eventually be known as The Lecher – with capitals, yes – Seth Parker. And it all came down to being friends with Percy Jackson, the second possessor of the golden cloth which reduced what Maria had been looking forward to as her opportunity to test her skills into a farce of a contest to get closer to a pretty girl.

Thankfully, some people had sense and her other friend, Gregor, saw to the removal of one of the shameless articles. She assumed it had something to do with Percy, even though she didn't know why. The most she could figure out was that Grover, Gregor and maybe Mr. Brunner were thoroughly entertained with how Percy's life played out like a romantic comedy and were in full support of whatever it was he had with Principal Black.

"AND I SAID TO STAY AWAY FROM HIS GRUBBY LITTLE HANDS!" One of the competitors yelled out to the stands and Maria's hands shot up to massage her temple. She came to participate in a tournament where her skill with the blade could be tested. She did not sign up for a front row seat to this.

"HIS HANDS ARE NOT GRABBY! HE'S BEEN THE PERFECT GENTLEMAN!" A female voice screamed, mishearing her brother's yelling.

"HE BETTER BE! I'LL KILL HIM OTHERWISE!"

Maria sighed as the shouting match between siblings continued. Really, why were her newfound friends so weird.

Deciding to ignore the ongoing argument that was being publicly broadcasted to what amounted to be the whole school, Maria decided to continue her breathing exercises. That should keep her cool and focused until the bell rang.

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath through her nose, Maria visualized taking in all the negative emotions she felt that were hanging around her like a shroud. Her annoyance, her disgust, her impatience, she imagined them all as corrupted air, a miasma that poisoned her spirit for the upcoming battle.

Holding it in, Maria then internalized everything, analyzing just why she felt such emotions. She was annoyed because the yelling was distracting her and it pointed out to her how Percy was flirting with Jane. She was disgusted at what Seth and his friends had reduced the tournament to. She was impatient because she wanted the battle to start already.

Finally, she let it all out in a deep exhale through the mouth. All the negativity leaving her as she expelled everything weighing her down along with her breath. The Anthony siblings were just making noise, ignore them. Percy was just a friend, he can flirt with whoever he wanted to. The Order of Perverted Morons were already expelled from the tournament, let it go. There was no need to be impatient, the bell had just rung.

Her eyes shot open, the sound of the bell triggering her shift from a 6th grade schoolgirl to a swordsman. A hand shot to the hilt of her sword, prepared for a swift draw, ready for an iai, a strike executed in the same moment the blade leaves the sheath.

Maria lacked the training and skill to rely solely on iaido in a battle. She could draw her blade in one smooth motion, sure, but iaido also involves returning it to her sheath in the same movement. The art of iaido relies on these quick strikes, her sword switching from drawn to sheathed with every slash, achieving a speed that far outclasses kendo strikes.

The girl's sheathing was still lacking the polish needed to truly use iaido, but the first strike was something she could use. After all, it would be wasteful to discard such an effective opening attack.

Amidst the chaos that descended among the contestants on the field, the lone girl wearing a traditional Japanese hakama calmly picked the target for her first strike. For some reason, the other fighters were mostly ignoring her. They were running around, excitedly swinging their metal sticks – for that was what they were to Maria in their unskilled hands – at each other but ignoring the calm girl who hadn't even drawn her sword.

If Maria Kobayashi was in an anime or a manga or if she was one of those cosplayers that showed up to the tournament, she would've yelled out an outrageous sounding name for the attack that she had just unleashed. Some people wouldn't even have faulted her for doing so, too impressed that such a technique might actually deserved such outrageous titles.

Instead, Maria silently lowered her stance, bending her knees in preparation for her quick strike. Coiling her body like a snake preparing to lunge, the half-Japanese girl built up the power in her legs.

An unfortunate but fitting contestant was locked in her sights. One of the girls in Nancy's posse who liked to pull her hair and make fun of her, being one of the meeker girls in class before she met her new friends. The target was running towards the most prominent skirmish, probably towards their harpy of a leader Nancy Bobofit that Maria spotted in the periphery of her vision. The distance between her and her target was maybe three meters, right inside Maria's range with her katana.

Between one second and the next, Maria moved. An ear-splitting screech filled the air, like nails on a chalkboard, and when the audience turned in direction to the sound, all they caught was a girl in kendo wear standing over her fallen opponent, a long thin sword poised across her body.

What the audience didn't see was that Maria closed the distance between her and her target in a single bound, her steel-forged katana cutting through the air mid-step as if it was live steel rather than the blunted blade that it was.

It was over in the blink of an eye. Even her target hadn't had the chance to react, Maria's movement as explosive as it was. It wasn't as if she was unbelievably fast, when it comes to pure speed Percy, Gregor, Ted and her other friends probably outclassed her. What she did have an edge on, even something that Luke and Mr. Brunner praised her on, was her first step.

Like a snake coiled like a spring to lunge at her target, Maria similarly executed a perfect first step, shedding all unnecessary movements and pushing the simple maneuver to its maximum efficiency to close distances. An explosive move that surprises opponents. One moment, she was in a relaxed, albeit ready, position. The next, she was right in front of you, her sword already following through as you crumple to the ground.

It was the only thing that she could claim superiority over against Percy, the prodigious boy surpassing her in sheer strength, pure speed, endurance and even skill.

That was how she scrounged up most of her wins against her friend. If she managed to catch Percy off-guard with her first approaching step, she was in a uniquely advantageous position to end things then and there. If she failed, she was in one hell of a fight where the boy's superior attributes dominated the rest of the match.

Most of the time, Percy did manage to defend against her and even near the end he seemed to have found the perfect counter. Her opponents, however, were no Percy Jackson.

A breath to gather herself, a second holding it, close the distance, strike, exhale. That was Maria's winning move. If she had enough time to polish her skill enough, she would have ended with re-sheathing her blade so that it was once more ready for another iaijutsu move.

Once she had mastered the art of drawing and sheathing her weapon in a single flowing movement, she would then focus on her backstep and sidestep until it was as sharp and as polished as her explosive approaching step.

One of the things both her father and Mr. Brunner, her second sword teacher, imparted to her was the importance of positioning. Even in wars, let alone singe combat, positioning was key to victory or defeat. Distance, angles, positioning, the side that has a superior grasp of these factors were most likely to win.

After finding out that she was particularly talented at her execution of the first step, Maria took this lesson to heart and resolved herself to a style that focused on controlling the battlefield. It was a discovery she found accidentally in a random session with her favorite sparring partner. Actually, it was the first time she won against the boy so handily. Before her discovery, most of their fights ended in her victory only at the end of the day when they were both exhausted and Percy was just wishing for relief.

Maria really didn't consider those wins.

After weeks of continuous perceived losses, a frustrated Maria threw caution to the wind and decided to go big or go home and to her surprise, she won big time. A single opening strike that led her to the discovery of the style perfect for her.

A style focusing on the explosiveness of her first step. A move that, when combined with the sheer striking speed achieved with iaido techniques, could end a battle in a single hit. Her style most suited for single combat and with multiple opponents, with time, as long as she mastered the fundamentals of iaido.

Still, that was for the future. For now, she was limited to a pausing after a single strike to sheath her blade. A true master of iaido would be able to chain multiple hits even while returning their weapons to their sheaths in between each one.

Maria is far from being a master so she had to resort to either a masterfully executed strike that she could only use once before stalling to re-sheath or just make use of the first strike and then proceeding to engage her opponent in her traditional kendo moves.

Admittedly, against the opponents she was saddled with, either option worked perfectly, though Maria would have preferred her quick draw style. Practice makes perfect after all.

"Now…" Maria said calmly at the end of her exhale, her sword once more resting in its sheath. Even though she couldn't chain multiple strikes, if her opponent fell in the first strike then she could afford the delay of re-sheathing. She needed to resort to kendo only when her opponents manage to defend against her iaijutsu. "Who wants to go next?" Her hand once more flew to the hilt of her sword, bending at the knees to make use of that explosive power they possessed.

* * *

"Is that really Ma-chan?" Shingo wondered aloud, unbelieving of the way her daughter just moved.

"She's pretty good, huh?" Grover said it like it was no big deal, calmly making his way through his popcorn.

Shingo goggled at him, an expression that looked totally out of place from the stern man. "Pretty good? She could be the national kendo champion for her age group with those skills back in Japan!"

Grover shrugged. He worked for a camp where demigods trained to be heroes, with archery classes, sword classes and other combat type lessons. Suffice it to say, he wasn't the one to ask since he was spoiled when it came to children with combat skills.

"Really? Huh…" Jane looked more confused than impressed. She'd sat back in her seat once the match started, out of breath and flushed at the exertion of yelling at her brother. Now she was looking at Shingo, her body angled towards Percy in an unconscious show of body language. "I know I only watched the one time my useless brother and his friends joined in on your training but I didn't know she was that good. I mean, she beat Johnny pretty easily but Teddy looked like he wasn't trying."

"You're comparing Maria, tiny, willowy girl of twelve, to Ted Robins?" Percy asked absently, not really paying attention to the conversation. He was, once more, busy watching the ongoings down on the field which was also a good way to distract him from thinking about his brand-new realizations or the way Jane was looking at him with adoring eyes.

"Well when you put it like that…" Jane looked sheepish, her sleeve-covered hands scratching at her cheek. "You made me sound silly, Percy." She said indignantly, a finger coming up to poke at Percy's leather-covered chest. Then her finger started drawing circles on his chest in a decidedly flirtatious manner. "And it wasn't that farfetched. I mean, you're big and strong enough to beat Teddy."

"In case you haven't noticed, Maria isn't Percy." Grover said dryly, earning him a dirty look from the girl. "Hey, hey… just pointing it out…" He said, his hands lifted in surrender. The girl didn't let up, however, and continued giving him the stink eye.

Of course, she knew the difference between Maria and Percy. She would have noticed if she was crushing on a girl and Percy was definitely not a girl. Mmmm, just thinking about those yummy muscles and that blush inducing smile made it hard to breathe.

"Who's this… Teddy?" Shingo asked, starting to get confused at the unfamiliar names being thrown around in the conversation. His eyes were darting between the arguing kids sat next to him and the awe-inspiring figure of her daughter cutting through the throng of competitors like a hot knife through butter. He'd never been prouder.

"That's Ted Robins, Mr. Kobayashi." Gregor piped in, seeing as Jane and Grover were busy and Percy was locked onto the match. He explained just who Ted was to the confused man, including other names like Carlie, Seth and John, Ted's group of friends. He also threw in the story about how the older teens became friends with a group of sixth graders.

Percy wasn't paying attention. He ignored the finger tracing shapes on his chest, the story being told over his head and even the amused looks Grover was sporting that was probably at his expense. The boy was too focused on watching the match, observing his opponents, and planning strategies for his victory.

When Shingo suddenly stood up, seeing his daughter get hit with a nasty-looking blow to the head from her blind side, Percy knew that the girl would be alright. She was tougher than she looked and when she quickly counterattacked with an overhead strike, he was proven right.

When the four contestants advancing was decided within twenty minutes, a whole ten minutes shorter than the first round, Percy was unsurprised as to who went through.

Of course, there was Maria whom among the four he was sure knocked out the most contestants.

John was there too, seeing as both him and Seth were more athletically gifted than the rabble. Percy had no doubt that Seth just got distracted by his designs on his Astra that the guy was knocked out.

The third was some random guy from 8th Grade who looked like he had some training with fencing. He was wearing the leather armor given to last minute contestants but he was using a rapier, probably borrowed from one of the fencers that were in his age group. The boy wasn't lacking in any skill and his attempt at using fencing moves were met with a degree of success.

Last was Nancy herself who was advancing just by the skin of her teeth. She was just about to get hit by one of Maria's quick draws when she was saved by the bell. Still, she was lying on the ground pitifully in a fetal position, clutching at her side where she was hit by Maria's sword. The only reason she was advancing was because a moment before Maria's sword hit her, John knocked out someone else, making her, technically, one of the last four standing.

Talk about getting lucky. Or maybe not, because Maria wasn't able to stop her speedy strike once she already launched it and Nancy bore the brunt of the attack. Percy had been hit enough by one of those and he knew it hurt like hell, even with protection.

That injury was something Percy could use in the future if he was ever to face the girl.

Anything it took to win.

* * *

A.N.

I know, I know. I promised I'd update on Wednesday... a week ago. Yeah... sorry 'bout the delay. I got sick. With a cold. Yep, I'm going with that.

No, in all seriousness, I did get sick with a cold a few days after posting the previous chapter. It's the rainy season where I live and colds are quite easy to contract where I am right now. I couldn't right the few days after I got sick and even when I got better I was having writer's block. Add to the fact that I finished a couple thousand words before I got sick that when I read afterwards was something so cringey that I was tempted to burn my computer just for having it on there...

Also, The International... and the upcoming KSI vs Logan Paul... and well... distractions...

Nevertheless, I present you guys this chapter. I didn't even realize how long the sword tournament would take until I started writing it. Because of how long it would have ended up if I forced myself to put it in one chapter, I'm posting them in multiple chapters. This also means that the minotaur fight and the first entrance to camp would also be delayed and for those who are excitedly waiting for the demigod stuff, I am sincerely sorry.

Now let's talk about this chapter and what it means to the rest of the story. When I was sick, my head was swirling around with all kinds of ideas on ways I could take this story and finally I've come to a decision. Harem. Yes, I have decided to make this a harem story. Well, to be fair, it already was a harem story from the beginning because of the Percy/Artemis/OC pairing but from this moment on, everyone's fair game. I still don't want the story to descend into decadence where all the girls Percy meets will be part of his harem but I won't limit myself either to just Artemis and Astra. Whatever happens, happens.

Also, for those of you wondering, Gregor is not an OC. He's a character from Suzanne Collins best selling novel series The Underland Chronicles. It was a series before The HUnger Games and it is very similar to PJO with prophecies, unique powers etc. Would recommend.

So, I guess that's it. No promises on when the next chapter is but assume that it's going to be the second part of the sword tournament. Chapter after that would be the start of summer and going to camp.

Bye guys. Read and Review!


	11. Victory Tastes Sweet & of Guilt (part1)

Percy Jackson and Andromeda's Lament

A.N.

Yeah, sorry it took a while for this chapter to come out. I've been really busy with real life, finding a job (no dice) and ended up just helping with the family business. I tried writing whenever I can but between life and work, I haven't had that much time to just sit down and type. Still, not abandoning this story and I will update, at least if everything goes to plan.

* * *

Chapter 10: Victory Tastes Sweet… and of Guilt (part 1)

Maria had spent the last few minutes wandering around the stands looking for where her father was sitting at. To be perfectly honest, she would have preferred sitting with her friends, even though that Jane was with them.

She'd rather go with that sneaky bitch than spend the rest of the day with her father in awkward silence. At least then she'd actually be interacting with someone, even though she would most likely get into an argument with the girl.

Her time in the infirmary was short. Unlike the last round where Carlie ended up eliminating most of the contestants by ring out, Maria had knocked out her opponents with a debilitating injury. Because of the number of injured, the pretty blonde nurse with the cute jade-green hair ornament just gave her a cursory check before deeming her healthy and leaving to cater to another student.

That was ten minutes ago. She had spent the last ten minutes searching for her wayward father and she had just another ten minutes before the next match started. Who knew it was so hard to find an Asian man in a roman style coliseum?

In her successful attempt to block out all annoyances during the match, the girl didn't even notice that her father was sitting front row with her friends, yelling in support of her, so imagine her surprise when she found the stern Shingo Kobayashi having a heated discussion with Grover Underwood, Percy Jackson and the rest of her friends, about work, of all things.

Figures. Take a day off from work to spend time with your daughter but still ending up talking about work, with your daughter's friends even. Typical.

"So, it was made like that… I thought they just built a foundation and put facades up." Grover said, knocking on the polished stone seats.

"It won't look as nice if they did it that way and from what you told me, there are actually rooms and tunnels, right. That means it wasn't just a rush job or else it'd collapse." Shingo explained, making Grover nod. Percy, on the other hand, just looked confused.

"But I heard they started construction a week ago… how did they finish it then?"

Shingo scratched his head. "I would have to admit that's pretty fast, but if somehow the crew worked day and night…" He shook his head. "but that's nearly impossible. The overtime charge alone would put the school in the red."

"Ah…" Percy's closed fist met his palm in realization. "So that's how they did it."

"They really went all out on this didn't they… makes me think it'd be such a waste when they tear the arena down afterwards." Grover said sadly, looking around the well-built coliseum. It was even better than the sword arena at camp.

"Are you sure it'll be torn down after today? Who knows, Ast… I mean, Principal Black might decide to keep it."

"That would mean buying the property. I'm not sure but I think this land isn't owned by the school." Grover told his friend. "Not to mention upkeep. It'd take a pretty penny to maintain an arena like this." He knew the training arena at camp needed a lot of repairs and replacements, the only reason they had been able to maintain it was through magic.

"Excuse me, but what are you talking about?" Shingo asked, looking between the two boys in confusion. "I got lost after I just told you that a day and night construction was impossible. How did we suddenly get to maintenance?"

"Ah…" Percy turned to her friend's father, rubbing the back of his head. "About that, I'm pretty sure they _did_. Around the clock construction, I mean."

"But that would cost a fortune! I know Yancy is a school for the wealthy but I doubt they could afford paying the construction company the obscene amounts of money for such a thing." The man explained slowly, making sure to keep his words clear. Maybe the kids just didn't understand just how much money he was talking about. "If the school had gone to my firm, Gremory Constructions, they'd be so far deep in debt that the school wouldn't survive, save for selling to the Gremory group." He gave the boys a smile. "And no offense, but to spend so much money on such a trivial event that amounts to a simple end of the year party? The administration must be insane if the-"

"Pretty much." Gregor interrupted the man mid-sentence, cutting off Shingo and earning him a dirty look from Percy. The boy shot his friend a cheeky grin, making Percy huff and look away.

"What?" Shingo asked, bewildered. Did they just call their admins insane?

"Mr. Kobayashi," Jane explained. "What Gregor means is that our principal, who also owns the school, by the way, is a… well, not insane per se, more like eccentric."

"Very eccentric." Grover added, his head bobbing up and down with his arms crossed over his chest. "Plus, the tournament was her idea. She sponsored it, and dropped a ton of cash. She probably paid for the construction, the festival outside, the equipment… hell, maybe the school didn't even have to spend a penny."

"Y'know that stage they got out there? I bet Principal Black got some famous artist to come and perform…"

"Ariana Grande, maybe? Or Justin?"

"Pffft… doubt it… it might just be some magic show or something."

"No, no… the principal wants to end the year with a bang. You won't get a party started with a magic show. Besides, she really likes music, especially rock," Percy answered, then noticing the questioning looks from Jane and the knowing smirks on Gregor and Grover, he added lamely. "I think…"

"Heh…" Shingo laughed nervously, looking around at the authentic looking stadium, the boiled leather armor Percy and Gregor were wearing, the swords lying on the ground and at the kids arguing and making assumptions on what the stage would be used for. A multitude of smells assaulted his senses, the food from the outdoor festival wafting in through the stadium by a timely breeze. _An extremely well-funded festival,_ Shingo added in his mind. He was late to the event, having arrived just before the first melee ended so he saw the half-completed festival grounds just as he was walking in. Even the festivals back in his hometown in Japan weren't that extravagant. "She… she couldn't possible be that wealthy, right?" He asked Grover a tad disbelieving.

Instead of answering himself, Grover shrugged and turned an expectant eye at Percy, making everyone turn to the boy. "Well Perce? Could Miss Black afford it?"

"Why're you asking me?"

Maria decided to use this opportunity to announce her presence to the group. She'd been standing just inside of hearing range, listening to the chattering of her friends and father, curious about what she was talking about. For some reason, they hadn't noticed her get close, not that she was really trying, mind you, but that could probably be chalked up to their topic.

"Well, you're the one who knows her best, right?" Maria interjected, getting the attention of the group. She looked at the seats, determining the only free seat being next to her father, and reluctantly sat down. At least she was next to Percy. "Just how many hours do you spend with her in detention?" Maria playfully snarked before grinning. "Hey guys. Jane." She greeted her friends.

"Nice match Maria." Percy complimented, making Maria's smile go wider.

"You did awesome!"

"Guess I'll see you in the next rounds, eh."

"Not bad. Of course, Percy'd take out more opponents." Jane commented, hugging Percy's arm close to her well-developed chest.

Well, compared to Maria, at least. They were small compared to even the slender and athletically built Juliet, not to mention the weapons of mass destruction that was Astra's funbags.

"Suuuure…." Maria shot the girl a dirty look, making Jane stick her tongue out at her for her trouble. "Stupid Jane." The half-Asian girl mumbled before turning to the final figure in their group. "Father." She said curtly, nodding at the man.

"Maria." Shingo responded, nervously tugging at his collar. "It's been a while. You've grown big since I last saw you." He gently patted the top of her head.

"Uh… yeah…" Maria said awkwardly. What was up with him? Her father wasn't this touchy feely. Gently displacing the hand on her head with a shake, consequently clearing her thoughts of how weird her father was acting. "Anyways, what were we talking about?"

What she didn't know was that from one conversation with the boy known as Percy Jackson, Shingo felt shame for virtually abandoning his daughter and had already resolved to be a better father. He hid a frown from Maria, a bit hurt from her dismissal of his affection but that's what he gets for doing what he did. At least they'd have the trip back to Japan for him reconcile with her.

Percy and Grover exchanged looks at the interaction between the father-daughter duo. Wasn't Shingo calling her _Ma-chan_? Why change? Maybe the rift between the two was worse than they thought.

"Something about how the stadium was built." Jane answered. "And Percy spending time with the principal or something…"

"Yeah Perce! You know Principal Black better than any of us." Gregor announced. "So… could she afford paying for the event herself?" Of course, among the group only Percy, Gregor, Grover and Maria, to a certain extent, had an idea of what his relationship with Astra was.

Gregor only caught a glimpse back during the field trip and with gossiping with Grover, so really he didn't know much. Maria knew even less, only seeing the boy and the older woman interact once, though the atmosphere was pretty steamy during said interaction.

"Uh…" Percy looked at the expectant faces of his friends and even Shingo was sending him curious glances. He couldn't not give an answer. That would be more suspicious than giving a vague one. As long as he didn't reveal the true reason for this encounter, his involvement would still be somewhat under wraps. "There was this one time. We were trading stories…"

"You close enough with the principal to trade stories with her?" Jane asked innocently, though there was a darker undertone to her words. What could she say in her defense? Astra Black was hot. Percy was, no matter how mature he acted, a whole two years younger than Jane. She knew how boys could be and she was feeling jealous with Percy spending time with a woman both older and more beautiful than her.

"It was in detention." Percy deadpanned. Grover started chuckling. "I get a lot of detentions."

"But doesn't the guidance office handle detentions?" His best friend asked innocently, though Percy could see the corners of his mouth twitching, like he was trying to resist breaking out into a grin.

"I don't know why, but I get sent to the principal's office when I get in trouble… or, you know, Mrs. Dodds." Percy said with a shrug which was technically true. Of course, he wanted to think that he was sent to Astra because she was fond of spending time with him but that wasn't actually the reason. For all he knew, it could just be coincidence. "Anyways, this one time I was telling her about my field trip to the Sea World Shark Pool and…"

"What's this got to do with her being able to afford to sponsor the event?" Gregor asked.

"I was getting to that." Percy said, mildly annoyed at all the interruptions. "She told me that there was this one time, she got sent to the hospital from swimming in a pool." He paused, waiting for another question that was sure to come.

"Why?"

"From a papercut. Lots and lots of papercuts. Lost a whole liter of blood, she said."

"But how?" Jane asked, a confused look on her face. "How'd she get papercuts from swimming…"

Gregor gasped. "Don't tell me? No way!? She can't be that s –" He trailed off when he noticed the glare Percy was sending his way, daring him to continue that line of thought.

"Oh no! Really?"

"How could she…"

"What?" Shingo asked, not really getting it. Jane didn't as well but she was confident all would be explained in due time. Meanwhile, Percy's shoulder was looking very comfortable…

"We were talking about how Miss Black could fund the event." It was Grover who explained to the clueless. "Miss Black, who is unbelievably childish."

"I bet she likes watching cartoons… stupid cow." Maria grumbled under her breath. Thankfully, no one noticed.

Gregor continued. "Anyone remember that one Loony Toons character. The duck that liked to swim in gold coins?"

Percy nodded. "Yeah. That's it. Good job guys."

"I still don't get it." Jane told them.

"Let's recap. Our principal swam in a pool and got papercuts, enough that she lost a liter of blood and had to go to the hospital." Percy told the girl who he was surprised to see was resting her head on his shoulder. When did that happen? Her hair smelled good though, so Percy didn't really mind. "Then, the guys start talking about a cartoon character that likes to swim in gold coins…"

Jane gasped, her head jolting away from its comfortable pillow in surprise. "No way."

Percy nodded. "Miss Black once told me that she was richer than Tony Stark, Bruce Wayne and Scrooge McDuck combined. More than enough money to swim in a pool of cash."

Why she would even want to was something Percy didn't understand. Neither did he want to.

"So, you see, I'm sure she could easily afford paying for the construction company for overtime, Mr. Kobayashi." Percy told the man, whose head just nodded numbly.

Guess even he was surprised to hear of someone swimming in a literal pool of money. Actually, everyone but Percy looked to be a bit shocked. Jane's jaw was even hanging open.

Reaching out to her chin to gently lift her jaw closed, Percy's attention turned to the arena when dozens of footfalls caught his attention.

"Oh look, the fighters are coming out. Hey, isn't that Ted?"

The group turned to the arena, snapping out of their shocked stupors and indeed saw the fighters stepping out.

"Looks like it'll be an easy round for Ted… I don't see anyone that could compete with him out there." Grover pointed out. Of course, Grover didn't know that many people but it was a well-known fact in the school that no one could compete with Ted Robins on athletic ability.

Jane giggled. "Of course. It's Teddy! Not even my brother and the pervert could match him, even when they're working together." She tugged on Percy's sleeve. "Remember when they had that two-on-one basketball match?"

The boy laughed. The mirth was clear in his beautiful sea-green eyes and Jane felt the butterflies in her stomach stir. The small grin he was sporting made her squirm in her seat. "Never before had I seen such carnage on the basketball courts… all those broken ankles."

"Is that young man really that good?" Shingo was skeptical. The kids were treating this Ted Robins like he was some kind of genius or prodigy, when his daughter not even an hour ago showcased abilities that would garner her elite status in his home country's kendo scene.

"You'll see what we're talking about, Mr. Kobayashi." Grover answered. "The only person that can even hold a candle to Ted here in Yancy is Percy here." He said, nodding to his best friend.

"Aw, shucks."

Jane giggled, laying her head back onto his shoulder.

Maria fumed for a moment at the other girl's bold actions, feeling a little jealous herself before huffing and looking away. "I'd doubt you'd appreciate him, father. After all, Mr. Ted doesn't have formal instruction on swordplay, fencing or kendo. Well, he did watch us practice once but that's it."

"Still, someone could get pretty far with only being athletic. I think Carlie knocked most of the guys in our group just by throwing them out of the ring." Gregor told her.

"Well yeah. I didn't mean to say that Mr. Ted and Miss Carlie wouldn't do well. I was saying my father wouldn't appreciate someone who didn't learn formally. Newbies lack technique." Maria elaborated.

Shingo frowned at that. Did his daughter really think that low of him. Granted, he did enjoy watching national kendo tournaments back in Japan, where the participants were usually people who have practiced for years, and he usually took his young daughter with him when she was born, but that didn't mean he was a close-minded purist. He could enjoy scrappy instead of graceful fights.

"You know, you don't have to call him Mr. Ted, right?" Percy pointed out to her. "He's pretty chill so I would think he wouldn't like to be called mister."

Maria shrugged. "He's older. The least I can do is show him some respect."

"Jane's older too… Why don't you call her Miss Jane or something?" Grover asked.

The Japanese girl glanced at the American girl still comfortably lying on Percy's shoulder and scoffed. Her face had an adorable shade of pink and her breath produced a light mist. Even though it was almost summer and it was quite warm outside, Maria doubted it was the weather conditions that reduced the girl to such a state.

And what's worse was that Percy was just letting her cling to him like some thirsty slut!

"Does that look like someone who deserves respect?" Maria answered snidely. She was about to go into a rant about how inappropriate the older girl was acting – the girl was purring now – when she felt a light chop to the top of her head.

"Now Maria… you know how important respect is, right? Especially for someone older than you." Shingo Kobayashi scolded gently, the younger Kobayashi turning to her father with wide eyes.

"Did you just hit me?" Maria was bewildered. Her hands were resting on her head, right on the spot where her father hit her. It didn't hurt since it was a really light chop but the fact that her father actually hit her was a shock to the young girl.

"Ahh… erm… did it hurt, Maria?"

"N-no… I… I was just surprised." She squeaked, turning away from her father to hide her face. She couldn't take it. That fatherly expression and concerned eyes were making her long for days long past, when they were actually acting like family.

Percy let out a chuckle from the seat beside her. "You alright there, Maria? You look a bit flustered." The boy said with a shit eating grin. He was glad actually, despite his teasing. At least Shingo seemed to be taking to heart his advice.

Damn you Percy! Did you have to point it out? "M'fine…" Maria mumbled, glancing nervously at her father. Fortunately, Shingo seemed to have not heard the exchange, judging from his clueless expression.

From Percy's opposite side, Jane started giggling, making Maria send another dirty look at the girl. She held her gaze for another moment before letting out a tired sigh.

She was already scolded once. She didn't want to be scolded again.

"Sorry, Miss Jane. I didn't mean to offend you." Maria apologized with a slight inclination of her head in a shallow bow.

"Seriously? Ugh… it's fine. You don't have to apologize." Jane drew herself away from Percy to sit back into her seat. It looked like the third round was starting. "Just don't call me Miss. We're friends, aren't we?"

There was a moment that passed in silence. "Uh… yeah. Guess so." She shrugged awkwardly before going silent.

Seeing his daughter having nothing else to say, Shingo decided to elaborate on behalf of Maria on just why she called their older friends as such. "You have to understand, back in Japan, we even have words we use for our older siblings or seniors…"

Maria had never had many friends. Before all the tournament stuff, she actually didn't have any friends in Yancy. Honestly, she hadn't put 'making friends' at the top of her to-do-list since the move from Japan. She was a bit more preoccupied for mourning her mother and trying –and failing – to be a proper family with her father.

Not to mention she could barely speak English when she first came to the US. It took her the better part of a year before she could actually talk to someone her own age.

When she finally came around to making friends, Maria found herself too late. Her classmates already knew each other and formed their own groups and she was already known as the quiet girl that almost never talks to anyone. Even her roommate never bothered her after the first few weeks of Maria virtually ignoring her.

Thankfully, it was mostly just her being treated like air. She'd be having a far worse time if Nancy and her sycophantic friends actually took notice of her outside of the minimal interaction they'd have as classmates. The most they ever did was call her names or occasionally pull her hair. Some of her classmates that annoyed that toxic group had things far worse.

Then, sixth grade came around and a pair of transfers came in. A boy with a limp and a boy with the most alluring eyes Maria had ever seen.

At first, Maria was hopeful. A chance for some friends, she thought. Then, as was to be expected from two people experiencing something new together, both transfer students became the best of friends before Maria had managed to muster her courage and talk to them.

And like that, she felt alone once more.

Then, on a random whim of the principal, a sword tournament was announced.

Kendo was something that Maria held close to her heart. Of course, the main reason was that it was the way her father and her bonded when she was young but also it was something that never really abandoned her.

Her mother died. Her father sent her away. She was the one who left her life back in Japan. In the States, there wasn't anyone to leave her because she didn't even have anyone close to her.

Her shinai, on the other hand, was the one constant. At the end of another lonely day in school, Maria had always just swung and practiced with her shinai. At least it distracted her from the feeling of loneliness.

After years of being alone with nothing but her kendo, something finally came of it. Maria was happy. She was confident she could win. After all, every day she spent practicing. But before the tournament, the school offered a training program conducted by Mr. Brunner, the Latin teacher.

Maria was interested. No offense to Mr. Brunner but she was curious how a wheel-chair bound teacher would teach something as physically focused an art like swordsmanship. So, to satisfy her curiosity, she decided to attend the training sessions, even though she felt she would be fine on her own practicing the sword style of her country.

Oh boy was she thankful she did. Thanks to that random whim of hers, finally after years of loneliness, she made friends.

The voice of her second friend was what snapped Maria out of her introspection. Grover was the kind of guy who was almost always shy or nervous but also had the tendency to tease and prod, especially when it was Percy to tease.

"So that's why Mr. Brunner was calling her Kobayashi-san instead of her name?"

"That's right… I have to say, I'm surprised he'd even bother." Shingo answered.

"What'd you mean by that?" Maria interjected. "It's only right, isn't it? I mean, I didn't give him permission to call me by my first name or anything like that."

Giving his daughter a small smile, Shingo corrected her. "Normally that's correct but remember, we're not in Japan. We're in America. You can't expect them to follow Japanese customs."

Maria tilted her head to the side in confusion.

"I get it… I mean, if I were the one in a different country experiencing a different culture to my own, I wouldn't expect the locals to change their traditions for my sake…" Gregor actually had experience with something like that. The people in Regalia and in the Underland as a whole had totally different cultures for someone like Gregor. For one, they had royalty and for an American like Gregor, that was already something new to get used to. Add in the fact that the people tie their lives with giant bats, giant cockroaches treated his sister like a princess and his mother like a demon, and a load of other unbelievable things… "Actually, it should be the other way around. Being the ones intruding in on their way of life, the least we could do is to adapt to them."

"I think I get what you mean…" Maria admitted though she looked a tad unsure still. Shingo was nodding approvingly in the background.

"When in Rome, right?" Grover understood. He had to disguise himself as a normal mortal, repeatedly going to school. If he couldn't properly adapt, his disguise would've been made in the first week.

"Exactly!"

"Guys!" Percy broke in, annoyance dripping from his voice. "You do know the match already started right?"

"What?"

Just as Percy said, the match had started and they hadn't even noticed. Most of the group was too invested in the conversation while Maria was too lost in thought to even hear the bell ringing.

And it didn't just start. It actually looked like it was already halfway through. A good few, maybe shy of a dozen contestants were already out, most of them just groaning on the arena floor.

The reason? A tiger was in a cage with sheep.

Metaphorically speaking, of course. There weren't any actual animals in the ring. There was, however, one Ted Robins.

Like a clumsy predator on the prowl, Ted was stomping all over the arena looking for prey. It's clumsiness, however, wasn't by lack of skill, but by choice. Well, also lack of still but mostly choice. Clumsy this beast may be, it was no less fearsome; an apex predator with no superiors and a decided invincibility over the creatures inhabiting its ecosystem. For such pitiful prey, there was no need for sneakiness or refined skill, only infallible domination and overwhelming power.

A pile of bodies lay in its wake, whether genuinely unconscious or just playing dead to avoid the predator's attention, Percy and his friends didn't know. One thing was for sure though. Ted was killing it.

Before their eyes, he pounced, smacking an unsuspecting 8th grader on his helmet-covered noggin, out for the count. No one could blame the guy for being caught unawares. After all, his attacker was still at least 3 meters out from him before he moved.

The hit was nothing special. Just a swing to the head with the blunt edge. It was even telegraphed, the motion predictable from start to finish. It was fast, for sure, but the large amounts of wasted movement cut its overall speed. Percy had no doubt that a person with rudimentary training, even one as simple as the one his classmates underwent, could have dodged it.

Still, it was an effective tactic only because of how much Ted was dominating the field. Ted was far above the other contestants in strength, speed and reflexes and it showed. The others were avoiding him like the plague, always trying to be at a distance from him and barring that, putting someone else in between.

"C'mon c'mon! Let's have some fuuuun!" Ted laughed, a pure sound that was full of joy and mirth. It was easy to tell that he really enjoyed taking part in the tournament. Percy couldn't remember how many times Ted was bemoaning the rules that made it so only 6th graders could take part. "Hahaha! Come at me bro!"

His calls were for naught. Actually, it was the opposite since the guy he called out started shaking in his boots. When Ted took a step towards him, the guy actually threw down his weapon and started running away, all the while crying for his momma!

"You don't… see that everyday…" Grover could barely hold in his laughter as he watched the scene unfold. He might've missed the first few minutes, but that showing more than made up for it.

"D'you see his face?" Jane turned excitedly to Grover. "Hahaha!"

"Snot… pfft… snot was dripping down from his nose!"

The two shared a high-five before once more breaking out into laughter.

"That was so stupid." Maria commented. Whether she was talking about Grover and Jane or the quickly fleeing boy, no one knew. It could have been anything when it came to her.

Percy sighed, his head in his hands. "Should've gone for the third round… might've paired up with Ted and destroyed these guys…" He mumbled low under his breath.

"Did… did that just happen?"

"Sure did, Mr. Kobayashi. Ted has that effect." Gregor told the man. "No one really tries to compete with him anymore… well, there's Percy but he's a bit weird too so…"

"Hey!"

Ignoring Percy's protests, Gregor continued, "He's a pretty popular guy though. Quite likeable."

Maria snorted.

"What was that?"

"Sorry, dad, but Mr. Ted's pretty nice in the hallways but in the field? He's a savage. A total competitor." She hiked a thumb at Gregor. "This guy has no idea. Look at all the people out on the arena. They're avoiding him like the plague…"

Following Maria's pointed finger, the group saw that she was speaking true. Though there weren't any more outbursts as dramatic as calling for momma, there was a ten-meter dead zone between Ted and all the other contestants.

Anytime Ted would move, the others would also do their best to stay away. The contestants that were fighting would even pause mid-swing to keep their distance every time Ted made a move.

It was ridiculous.

"GRRRRAAAA! C'mon! Let's play! Don't be a bunch of girlies! Come face me like a man!" Ted rushed to the closest person. He was belching out a vigorous battle cry as he sprinted to the closest body, his exceptional lungs, strengthened by years and years of sports, easily supporting the exertion.

"What do you mean face you like a man?! I'm a girl, dumbass!"

Unfortunately for Ted, the closest person to him was, indeed, a girl. Let's call her Mary. Having been confident that a gentleman wouldn't harm a delicate flower like her, Mary had been closer to Ted than the others. Still, by close it meant just shy the 10-meter dead zone around Ted.

Right after saying her piece, the 'delicate flower' ran like the hounds of hell were nipping at her feet. She had no scruple with running for it. Ted tried appealing to a man's pride, something that was nonexistent in the girl. Besides, why should she when even the so called 'men' were running away even faster than her.

Mary still had some problems though. Ted seemed to have locked on a target and he was determined to catch up. "Come on! I won't bite! We're just gonna have some fuuuun!" Yep, there was no way she could outrun him. He was moving, like, a hundred miles an hour!

Letting out a terrified squeak, the girl started screaming, "NOOOO! I don't wanna play!" She squeezed every ounce of speed out of her legs, just trying to get away.

That is until she bumped into something. Mary felt her elbow digging into tender flesh.

"Oooof…"

"Gah! I'd say sorry but what the hell are you doi-" Mary trailed off, the sight before her too shocking for words. "Oh god!" She exclaimed. Mary glanced behind her, seeing Ted closing in on her, his face sporting a goofy grin. Then she faced forward once more, her eyes landing on what she bumped into. "…I'm surrounded by weirdos…" She moaned before once more trying to escape.

Before she could, however, the weirdo she elbowed grabbed her wrist. "W-wait…." He was still planted on the ground, clutching at his stomach.

"Let go of me! He's almost here! Let go!" Mary screamed, trying to pull away from his grasp but his hold on her wrist was like iron.

"Just… just a moment." He wheezed, pulling himself to his feet. A bit unsteady, he turned to Ted who was by now patiently waiting a meter or two away from them.

Ted raised an eyebrow at the strange scene unfolding before him. He was raring to go for a fight but for now he was satisfied with just seeing where this would go. "So… what are you supposed to be?"

Instead of answering like a normal person would, the guy started laughing loudly, like a bond villain, before sending Ted his best bad guy glare. It didn't turn out that well though, his stare looking more like a cat posing to be a tiger. "Little puppies… should know better than to snap back at their elders…"

"Uh…" An incredulous look formed on Mary's face. She was sure Ted Robins was older than the guy holding her wrist. "What are you on about?"

"If you trust, you will be betrayed. If you are careless, you will die. Kill, or be killed. And, a good man is never far from a woman." The weirdo answered grandiosely. He tried to wrap an arm around Mary but earned a kick to the balls for his trouble.

"Ugh…" He dropped to his knees once more, his hands gently cradling his crotch.

"Hey bud… you alright? Do you need a doctor… or uh… a psychiatrist or something?" Ted was worried now. His pleased grin at finally catching up to someone to fight had fled from his face.

This was weird, even for him.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding." He wheezed out, rising on unsteady feet. "Learn how to take a joke. You're as serious as the rumors say you are…" The guy assured, his mouth curved in a feral smile, though it looked more constipated than anything else. "Call me Shishio, my rude predecessor…"

Back in the stands, Shingo groaned pitifully at the happenings on the floor. The rest of the contestants had retreated a safe distance away from the trio of Ted, the girl and 'Shishio' and were once more duking it out. Shingo, however, wasn't concerned with the others.

"What's wrong Mr. Kobayashi?"

"That character is Makoto Shishio…" Shingo said, his voice laced with horror and embarrassment. "It's from this one manga I liked to read. This was a few years before Maria was born, mind you." He pre-empted, seeing his daughter about to ask.

"Samurai X."

Shingo nodded. "Correct, Percy. Though when I read it, it was known as Ruroni Kenshin… anyways, how'd you know about it? I didn't think it was that popular internationally. Not like uh… Naruto and One Piece anyway."

"Principal Black reaaallly likes her anime." Percy answered.

"Just how much time do you spend with that woman?" Jane asked him, feeling jealous.

Percy ignored her, turning his attention solely on Shingo. "So… what's the problem?"

Shingo frowned. "I know that Japan is most known for the anime culture… well, at least to this generation… but does it have to come this far? I mean, this is just embarrassing…" He gestured to the arena where the cosplayer was monologuing. "Look, he's even quoting the character… He's got the look down… the speech… next thing we know, he might have some kind of fire spitting device to simulate the show…"

Maria grimaced at the idea. "That'd be bad."

"Yeah, no shit." Percy rebutted.

"Enough talk! Let's fight!" Ted interrupted 'Shishio' mid-rant, pointing his sword at the monologuing boy. "Draw your sword, Shishio!"

"Heh. I almost forgot… I cannot go on avoiding you forever. Fine by me, let's dance, you and I." 'Shishio' laughed wildly while taking a stance, his hand reaching for the hilt of his blade. "Stand back, Yumi!"

"Yeah, you better go now Mary. I've got a new friend to play with." Ted called out excitedly.

"Haaa! My name's not Yumi! It's not Mary either!" Not-Mary yelled, slowly stepping away from the two weirdos.

"What are you talking about Yumi? Of course you're Yumi!"

"Sorry, it's just… you look like a Mary."

"You people are delusional! I'm Laurel! My name is Laurel!"

"Ah…" 'Shishio' stepped out of his stance and started playing with the headdress-like bandages on his head. "Sorry. I didn't know you changes your name to Yanny."

"AAAAAAAAARGGGGGHHHHH!" Laurel screamed, now running away from the two delusional idiots. She dropped her sword on the way, to fed up with things to continue on. "MY NAME IS LAUREL! L-A-U-R-E-L! LAUREL!"

"I think you broke Yanny." Ted pointed out, also moving out of his stance. 'Shishio' shrugged. "Now c'mon, let's have some fuuun!"

Breaking out into a run, Ted closed the five-meter gap between him and his target in a heartbeat, his sword swinging wildly as he did so.

"Hahahaha…oof…haha" 'Shishio' dodged, rolling inelegantly on the ground to avoid Ted's speeding blade. It might not have been pretty, it might not have been something Makoto Shishio would do, but it got the job done.

It may not have been obvious but 'Shishio' was part of the original twenty contestants. Meaning that he, along with Dante who was ganged up on back in the first round, participated in the training Mr. Brunner conducted. As such, he had at least rudimentary skills to at least stay within Ted's, the athletically gifted but untrained, league.

"Ha! Not bad. Not bad at all!" Taking position a small distance away from Ted, Shishio once again took his stance. Ted didn't start a barrage of hits upon closing with his opponent. It'd be rude to knock him out when his sword was still sheathed. More importantly, it wouldn't be fun. "Now it's my turn!"

Shishio pulled his katana from its sheathe and weirdly enough, instead of the screeching noise of metal grinding on metal, a cringe inducing wet sound reminiscent of slime falling on wet tile was produced. Then, as the tip of the blade exited the sheathe, a metallic click before the blade was engulfed in flames.

"Haha! Eat this!" Bringing the flaming katana around, Shishio swung it at Ted in a horizontal swing.

"Woah!" Ted stepped back, the blade missing him by a good foot. Even with the healthy distance between him and the blade Ted could still feel the warmth of the flame.

The rest of the contestants paused at the sight. Of course, something as flashy as that would get attention and now, the audience, the VIPs, the staff and the contestants had their eyes on the two.

"HAHAHAHA! Are you surprised! When the government tried to burn me to death I lost the fear of fire and gained the capability to use this technique!" He raised his sword; the flames having been extinguished after his attack. "Using the fat my blade, Mugenjin, has soaked in and absorbed, it will ignite with a single spark!"

"Principal Black! We have to stop them!" One of the staff in the VIP area shouted for all the people to hear. "It's too dangerous!"

"Hee hee… It's alright! Precautions were made and I personally checked his equipment! No problem!" Astra grinned, giving a thumbs up. "Besides, isn't it just so cool! He did the flaming sword trick! Ah, aren't my students so talented!"

"Duuuudee… that's dope…" Ted commented back down on the arena floor, his eyes sparkling as he looked at the sword in Shishio's hands. "A bit dangerous though, don't you think?"

"Ahh…" For the first time, Shishio broke character. "Oh, don't worry Ted. Of course it's not dangerous… well, the fire is a bit but I can only really do that when I'm drawing my sword…" He slid the blade along his bandaged had. "See? Blunt as a hammer."

"Oh… okay… so, how'd you do that fire trick? You really didn't soak that in human fat, right?"

"Oh no… look here see…" Shishio took the sheathe out of his belt and held it up. "I rigged it so that when I pull the katana out it coats the blade in acetone. Then when it's out completely, a small lighter ignites the blade." To demonstrate, he promptly sheathed and drew his sword, once more causing the blade to catch fire. "Pretty cool, huh…"

"Yeah…" Ted nodded before becoming deadly serious. "Don't do it again. The fire's still a danger." 'Shishio' nodded vigorously, a bit afraid of how serious the usually upbeat upperclassman was. Ted sighed. "Be glad you tried it on me… what if you tried it on someone else and they got burned?"

"I… I wanted to do something cool… and the only other thing I could think of involved… well… swinging the sword so fast that it created vacuums." Ted gave him a blank look. "See! That's why I did the fire thing! The other one was too hard! But… well… th-the principal gave me a list of people I can try it on…" Shishio excused. "There were only two people on the list; Ted Robins and Percy Jackson."

Ted sighed once more. "Fine… let's just get back to it…"

"Ha! I just paid you a compliment man. Geez, do me a favor and at least smile." 'Shishio' got back in character and quoted, trying to cheer up the lethargic freshman. It seemed Ted's excitement dropped a little.

Ted chuckled, softly at first but progressively louder until... "Woohoo! Let's see if your ticks could match up to me!" He yelled, pumping himself up again. The kid was right. What was he doing being all Debbie Downer?

With the obligatory pre-fight banter finished, the two finally crossed blades in earnest in a clumsy, amateurish bout. Like what Percy predicted earlier, even the most basic of training allowed someone to keep pace with someone like Ted who had superior specs in almost every way.

Ted struck like a rampaging beast. Equipped with all the speed and power in the world but lacking in the technique to properly make use of his advantages, Percy's upperclassman friend battered his opponent with unrefined hits, the only kind of strikes he could manage.

On the flip side, 'Shishio' dodged and parried with his limited skills, counterattacking when an opportunity appeared. For a guy decked out in a purple kimono and wrapped in bandages, he was doing a pretty good job of suriving against his superior opponent. The bandages didn't seem to bother him, even though they swished and swayed with his every move.

Still, it did not take long for Ted to pull away. His ferocious strikes were getting even faster and 'Shishio' could barely keep up a minute into the confrontation. On account of his growing trouble at defending, his opportunities to counter had also steadily dropped. Skilled or not, the kind of power and speed Ted packed into his hits could overwhelm any defense.

For the audience watching in the stands, the battle between Ted and 'Shishio' was the best source of action all round. Since most of the other contestants were more concerned with running away from Ted like rabbits, there were not a lot of interesting fights to be had. What's more, whenever Ted did get a hold of someone to battle, it usually ended in one or two hits from the physically superior teen.

Actually, this round seemed more like a comedy-fest than anything else. With teenage boys running away calling for their momma or that girl who had a breakdown over her name, one couldn't be blamed for the assumption.

"Not to shabby, fire sword guy!" Ted called out after he blew 'Shishio' away with a particularly hard swing that was barely blocked. "You're kind of weird but pretty cool!"

'Shishio' let out a harried breath, the barrage of heavy hits having taken its toll. His arms were shaking profusely, probably numb from all the times he parried or outright blocked a strike and a few strips of bandages were hanging limply from his outfit. Still, he didn't let up on his character play, trying his best to act like a condescending shit, as Shishio Makoto would. "Tch… I expected more, boy. This isn't even enough to get me warmed up. You fool… you're just too freaking weak!"

A grinning Ted stared at the opposing boy with his shaking arms and labored breath. It was obvious his opponent was barely holding up but his willingness and determination to continue was impressive. He even had the gall to insult him, as tired as he was! Ted started laughing. "Wonderful! Haha! That's it… keep going and going 'til ya drop! Fun! This is sooo fuuuun!"

Still cackling in sheer joy, Ted leaped once more into the fray, engaging his interesting and amusing opponent once more in heated battle. 'Shishio' paled – well, as much as a guy covered in bandages and thick dark makeup could – hurriedly raising his sword to defend.

* * *

"Where you goin?" Grover asked as his best friend suddenly stood up from his seat.

Percy grabbed his sword before answering. "I'm gonna go get ready… maybe get a bite to eat…" He sheathed the blunted weapon in the scabbard hanging on his waist before tightening the golden cloth tied to his arm, drawing Jane's attention to the fabric and what it meant.

Her eyes narrowed. "You're not going to watch 'til the end?"

The boy in question swept his gaze across the arena in a discerning once over. "It's pretty much done already and Ted's really the only one to watch out for in this group."

"Ouch… that's a harsh thing to say…" Maria intoned. "You're not wrong though." She finished, which prompted the group to break out into laughter.

"Anyway…" Percy started after a few moments of laughing. "I'll see you guys later." He said, waving as he walked away from his friends.

"There's a waiting room inside! Next to the place we got our numbers!" Maria called after him. "It's pretty spacious and there weren't a lot of people when I was in there. There're snacks and juice too!"

"Gotcha!" He said walking away, a hand on the hilt of the sword on his waist and whistling a jaunty tune.

The others watched the boy until he was out of sight. "He looks like he's enjoying himself." Shingo commented.

"It's an end of the year event, with a festival right outside. I'd be surprised if he wasn't." Maria shot back, making the two boys murmur in agreement. They turned back to the field just in time to see 'Shishio' finally fall after an admirable effort against Ted's barrage of strikes. With the boy-in-bandages out for the count, it was only a matter of time until the last four standing would be decided, as Percy said.

Jane stayed silent, still looking at where Percy disappeared out of sight. She had been watching Percy more intensely than any of the others, quite enjoying looking at his ass as he walked away but because of her more focused attention she had noticed the tense set of his shoulders. He was up to something and she didn't know what but for some reason, it made her feel mad at something.

Percy may have been enjoying the festival so far, but it was time to get to business. The gold fabric on his arm felt like it weighed a ton, reminding him of what was at stake if he lost. He was afraid… of what he would wind up doing to whoever it was who won if it wasn't him. A trip to the hospital, at the least.

He shuddered at the thought. Percy really needed to win, if not for him then for the sake of his schoolmates. He had this strange feeling that he'd go on a rampage if he didn't and Astra had to kiss some random guy and that was something the school was better off not seeing.

A few minutes later, he was warming up his sword arm with a few lazy swings in the waiting room Maria was talking about. As she had said, there weren't a lot of people there – a measly twelve, including staff – but there was one person Percy was surprised to see.

Rolling into the room in his chariot-themed wheelchair, Mr. Brunner, wearing a full suit of roman-looking armor, looked around the waiting area before spotting Percy and making his way over. He didn't say anything at first, satisfied at simply watching the boy warm up and Percy himself had no qualms about being watched and ignored the wheelchair-bound man.

He did, however, take it up a notch. His lazy slashes quickened in pace, increasing in speed until his sword was a metal-colored blur. His strikes flowed into each other with practiced ease, a far cry from Ted's fast and powerful but clumsy hits. The air whooshed as if it was being cut by a sharpened blade instead of the blunt weapon that Percy wielded.

The other people in the room watched with wide eyes, the few competitors eyeing Percy up as a possible target quickly removed that thought from their minds. For the guys in the room, the gold cloth tied to Percy's arm was a tasty reward and they were in the process of solidifying some kind of alliance similar to the one in the first round but negotiations broke down, the boy's show of skill intimidating them.

Good thing too, else they would later be shamed as part of the 'Second Regiment of the Order of Perverted Morons.' Of course, it didn't stop the other contestants that weren't in the waiting room yet and missed Percy's showcase to gang up on him, though it would be for a wholly different reason than wanting to win a kiss.

"I see you've been improving even more since I last saw you, Percy." Mr. Brunner commented, a hand scratching his long beard. "Very impressive."

"Heh, thanks Mr. Brunner." Percy answered, not even slowing down as he did so. Indeed, it seemed like he moved even faster, even as he started casually chatting with the older man. "I'm really looking forward to this camp of yours, sir. I mean, if they're as good as Luke…"

Mr. Brunner chuckled. "Alas m'boy, Luke is one of my shining stars. He's just about the best we have to offer." Seeing the boy's face drop in mild disappointment, Mr. Brunner hurried to recover. "But no worries. There are more than enough worthy rivals for you, not just Luke, and remember, there are a lot of camp activities that you might enjoy like archery, music, arts and crafts… canoeing maybe?"

"Sounds interesting."

"I'll be back in a bit." Mr. Brunner told the boy who responded with an almost imperceptible nod, focusing once more on his warm ups. Leaving the boy, who was still in the middle of a kata, Mr. Brunner rolled over to the snack table and got a couple of biscuits and a glass of juice for his young friend.

When he got back to where Percy was, the boy was already finishing up his kata. "Here, Percy." Mr. Brunner raised the plate of biscuits and the plastic cup filled with juice.

"Ah, thanks sir." Percy gratefully took the proffered snacks and sat down on a seat nearby. Mr. Brunner rolled his way until he was placed next to the boy, the easier it would be to converse. "If you don't mind me asking, what are you doing here, Mr. Brunner." Percy asked, and the teacher noticed that he wasn't even sweating or out of breath.

"Why do you think?" Mr. Brunner prompted but only received a casual shrug in response. He sighed. At least try, boy. "Well, maybe you'll realize when I show you this thing…" Mr. Brunner reached into some kind of pocket or compartment in the arm of his wheelchair and brought out a small white ball with the number 109 on it.

Percy raised an eyebrow. "You're competing?"

"Are you doubting my capabilities, Percy?"

"No sir. Of course not." Percy hurried to say, not wanting his mentor to take offense. "It's just… I didn't know teachers were allowed…"

"Hmm… normally we weren't but do you remember what Principal Black announced? The exact wording?"

Percy shook his head in the negative. Mr. Brunner sighed once more and weirdly, Percy felt bad for somehow disappointing the man. "You need to pay attention more, Percy. It might save your life one day…" Percy looked curious at the man's choice of words but Mr. Brunner pressed on. "Miss Black said that the registration was open to any member of Yancy Academy…"

"And teachers are also members of the school…" Percy finished, finally getting it.

"Precisely."

"But why haven't we seen any other teacher or staff?"

"Ah, well…" Mr. Brunner scratched at his cheek, his ears a bit red. "No one actually thought of it until the Principal pointed it out near the very end of registration. There were only a few more numbers left and the staff only got two people on…"

"Ah." Percy nodded. That was understandable, especially since Astra could be hard to read sometimes and it was really easy to misunderstand her words. Believe him, Percy knows. "So, who's the other one?"

Mr. Brunner chuckled. "Would you believe it if I told you it was the Principal?" He asked with a smile.

Percy shot him a blank look.

The teacher's smile strained. "Right. Silly question. Of course it you would. This is Miss Black, after all."

"So Astra's in the fourth round with us?"

Mr. Brunner raised an amused eyebrow, noticing Percy's form of address, but ultimately ignored it in favor of answering the boy's question. "Ah, alas, she did not make it. She tried, of course, but she was tied up by the administration who thought it was unbecoming of the principal to sweat it out with the students."

"What'd they make her do to stop her from signing up? Paperwork?"

"No, they literally had to tie her up. They tried to give her more work at first but quickly found it an insufficient… distraction… as she would simply finish anything they gave her in seconds, as she was so determined to 'play' as she put it." Mr. Brunner shuddered. "In all my long life and in all my travels, I have not seen someone as impressive and as talented as that woman. And to think, her abilities spawn mostly from her eccentricities. Truly, genius is a hair's breadth away from madness."

"They tied her up!?" Percy whisper-shouted, mindful that they weren't alone. He imagined Astra's voluptuous and curvy figure accentuated by numerous ropes, hugging her trim waist and making her large breasts pop out even more.

"Well, not the admins. There was this girl… the principal's assistant, Juliet, I think her name was. Well, they asked her what to do to stop the principal from taking part. I was surprised when she brought out ropes though."

Percy's mind started to wander as he imagined the scene. Juliet's svelte body handling the bonds like a pro, pressing in close to Astra's body to restrain her. Their hair, both blonde but in differing shades, would shine in the light, Juliet's eyes shining with amusement while Astra's in a mix of pain and excitement. Astra would struggle slightly, making Juliet make use of her wrestling background to dominate the more curvaceous woman to surrender, pinning her wrists to the ground and straddling her hips to keep her from moving, and as Juliet tightened the bonds, Astra would let out a guttural moan. Then Juliet, still on top of the other blonde, would look back at him over her shoulder with deferent eyes, her dress riding up her hips and revealing to him her bare heart-shaped ass while Astra's open legs beneath her, showing to him her transparent panties, and say to him in a sultry tone.

' _She's ready for you, master.'_

" – and she easily tied her up to her throne… of course her attitude immediately brightened when it was almost time to begin and the crowd was starting to get restless… are you listening, m'boy? Percy!"

"Wha?!" Percy jumped, shocked out of his fantasies. "Sorry, Mr. Brunner." Percy exclaimed, retaking his seat. "I was lost in thought…"

Mr. Brunner chuckled. "I could tell." Percy's face was flushed, out of breath – even though he was fine after the kata – and his leg was bouncing up and down excitedly. "Never you mind. The important thing is, he other teacher that managed to sign up was Mrs. Dodds."

Percy paled, the light flushing of his cheeks fading at the man's words. It wasn't that he was scared. He knew he could probably beat Mrs. Dodds. After all, no matter how hellish she acted, she was but an old woman, and Percy had all the training and abilities to defeat her. He wasn't scared. He was just afraid. "Fuck."

"Language." Mr. Brunner admonished before breaking out into a comforting smile. "But worry not. I heard that out of the four, our group has the least number at only 25."

"That's good." Percy sighed. At least his advantage – being able to choose what group he'd be in – wasn't wasted. Maybe getting into the third round and teaming up with Ted would be surer, but with the information he possessed at the time, Percy felt he made the right choice. The only hang up would be the staff but he was pretty sure that he at least wouldn't worry about Mr. Brunner so really Mrs. Dodd's was the only wild card.

It wasn't doubt on Mr. Brunner's abilities or anything like that, he still remembered how he utterly destroyed Nancy that first time around, but because he felt like the wizened teacher could be an ally.

As a plan started to form in his mind, Percy's face brightened considerably, regaining the color it lost from the earlier piece of news.

"Mr. Brunner… I have a proposition to make."

As Percy was selling his plan to Mr. Brunner, who looked very receptive to the idea presented, a familiar athletic blonde with green eyes walked into the room. As head servant-girl, Juliet's duties brought her to the waiting room to sort out contestants.

This had been a more difficult task earlier on in the day, when contestants from different rounds were standing by in the waiting room, her mistress only announcing that they had to be in the waiting room sometime before their turn and a lot of the contestants misunderstood that they were required to stay in the waiting room from the beginning. The large number of people to be processed and the confusion generated by such a gathering was troublesome. It didn't help that the only way of organizing the contestants was by a number. She was really annoyed when she called for the second group and found someone with the number twenty-two, who should have been in the first melee, among the group and she did not hesitate to give the poor boy a piece of her mind. Suffice it to say, no one else made the same mistake after that. And, of course because the universe loves messing with her, the doctor they called in was late so organizing the infirmary station and helping out at giving first aid had been delegated to her, as Astra's assistant, and it didn't help her work load.

Fortunately, with only one round of battle royal left and passing off the job at the infirmary to the doctor, who one of her helpers found roaming the festival (suffice it to say, Juliet was pissed and was sure to tell on her boss), Juliet had a much easier time. With her considerable lessened workload, she could probably even do what her mistress asked her to do for the later rounds, and that was something that Juliet could really see herself enjoy doing. Plus, it would add considerable entertainment for a professional show-woman like her to be acting as referee, announcer and commentary for the one on one fights. She had already changed from her earlier simple toga-styled dress into something a little more… fitting… both for her new task and on her body.

Unlike her earlier costume which was more fitting on a servant or civilian, now she was wearing a stylized full regalia of roman legion armor modified from the traditional armor into something that'd fit in a thirty-year old virgin's medieval fantasy. Although it was obviously meant to be plate armor made with interlocking metal plates that covered her shoulders and torso, like the ones worn by commanders, her chest armor was just that, _chest_ armor. It was small, exposing her toned midriff complete with amazing abs but at least it was sufficient at hiding her modest breasts.

Covering her lady bits was a tiny pair of shorts styled to look like some kind of gladiator skirt with pieces of leather hanging off the leg holes, something that she was adamant on during the designing of her costume so she could actually flip around to hype up the crowd without fear of exposing herself. The shorts fit like a glove and was short enough to reveal a sheathed dagger on her the outside of her right upper-thigh.

The dagger, which in actuality was more the length of a short sword, was as blunt as all the other swords currently circulating in the tournament though her was a bit special. Aside from being a kickass costume piece, it also doubled as a mic, something any announcer needs on the job.

The main color scheme was black and red with the chest plate, bottoms, greaves and bracers made from some kind of glossy black metal with dull red highlights. Her cape – yes, she wore a cape – was the opposite being mainly made of red cloth with a black stitched design of a star, her mistress's personal logo. The straps of her sheath were made of dark leather, similar in color to the shin guards and thigh pads Astra got for Percy. Unfortunately, her trademark Jade Pin didn't match her ensemble but fortunately, her mistress managed to get a replacement piece in the exact same style as Juliet's usual pin but in a different colored centerpiece, a shiny ruby gem instead of jade. Oh, and on the upper part of her face was a plain half-mask with the same red and black color scheme to hide her identity. It was something both she and her mistress thought of since hiding a bit of mystery could help hype up the audience.

All in all, she was happy with her new costume. The skimpiness of the outfit didn't trouble her much. If nothing else, it would be easier getting the crowd engaged in her current dress and it wasn't like she was embarrassed. After all, her wrestling costume was something on par if not even more sexy than her current outfit, with it usually being a sports bra and short shorts or skimpy, figure hugging leotards, and besides, she knew she looked good. All those hours training and working out did wonders for her figure.

Speaking of training, it kicked in as she entered and Juliet's gaze swept across the room. She had already noted all points of interest of the room on previous visits – the two doors that were the sole entry points, the position of the seats and the table that could be used for cover, the placements of the snack platters and drink jugs on the table (you never knew when a steel plate could be handy) – but there were some variables that were constantly changing and demanded her attention.

An example of such variable was people. In any given room or place, the people occupying it with their varying tempers and personalities constantly changes. As noted earlier, the number of people inside the room lessened considerably from a couple of dozen to just below fifteen, which was a relief on Juliet's part. Too many people usually brought more confrontations and confusion, and muddling Juliet's well-honed senses.

With the small number of people present, Juliet had the luxury of examining them fairly closely. There were two other staff members present aside from her, one male and one female. The male staff was refilling drinks and snacks while the female staff member had on roman legionnaire armor and was present to keep order. There were also a number of contestants, most of them having been already present in the waiting room since before the start of the first round. Juliet recognized some of them, especially that creepy senior in the corner that was always staring at her, who she was determined to avoid. Kinda hard to forget him when he looked like he was undressing her with his eyes and right now, with her new outfit, the guy looked like he was drooling.

Resisting the temptation to lock the lecherous boy in a chokehold (the creep would probably enjoy it), Juliet studiously avoided eye contact with her unwanted admirer as she approached the two staff members both to ask if there was any trouble and to ask for some help in processing the remaining contestants. Her gaze continued to rove over the occupants of the room as she walked, habitually analyzing them.

Then she noticed him. Percy Jackson, the boy… no, young man… that had recently caught her attention. Juliet faltered mid-step, a desire to approach him and see his reaction to her outfit bubbling in her chest but she resisted the urge. She had a job to do, a duty to her mistress to uphold and it wouldn't do for her to abandon such duties to… hit on a, albeit mature and _yummy_ , twelve-year-old. Not to mention her mistress had a _special_ relationship with said twelve-year old.

She continued her approach to the snack table where the two staffers were, her steps slow and her eyes periodically glancing towards Percy though she resolved not to go talk to him for the moment. However, it wouldn't stop her from trying to get close to him afterwards, when her duties for the day was complete and the tournament was over.

Besides, looking at him now, Percy was engaged in conversation with one of the teachers Juliet was semi-familiar with. He was gesticulating with his hands as he explained some sort of plan to the disabled teacher, making Juliet smile in amusement as his gesturing got wilder and more dramatic.

"So, what'd you say, Mr. Brunner? You in?"

The teacher stroked his long beard. "I have to say, it is a very tempting offer and a sound plan."

"Does that…"

"Considering the plan you proposed was better than the one I was going to offer, I would have to say yes, Percy. I am in." Brunner nodded.

"Yes!" Percy exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air. "Don't worry Mr. Brunner, just watch my back and I won't let anyone get you! Oh, and remember to keep Mrs. Dodds away from me…" He shuddered. The thought of what she might do to get back at him next school year if Percy actually hit her was horrifying.

"Understood." Mr. Brunner pat him on the shoulder. "I'll make sure to keep Mrs. Dodds occupied so long as you keep the other contestants away from me. I can handle someone one-on-one well enough but," he rolled on his wheelchair forwards then backwards. "I can't really maneuver well enough to go against groups, now could I?"

Their conversation was interrupted when a multitude of footsteps came from outside the waiting room, echoing in the stone-made insides of the arena, probably heading to the infirmary. From the sound of things, most of the contestants managed to walk under their own power, a far cry from what Percy expected from the second round where Maria knocked out a lot of fighters.

Percy's sensitive ears detected a distinctively more energetic pitter-patter of feet among the usual dragged feet of tired warriors, like someone skipping, before the waiting room door burst open to admit one madly grinning Ted Robins.

"PERCY!" The freshman sports star headed straight for his younger friend, multiple set of eyes on him as the occupants of the waiting room stared at the overly energetic boy. Hard not to when presented with such a spirited entrance.

"What do you want Ted?" Percy groused.

The older teen laughed. "Did you watch my fight? Did you? Did YOU?" He asked looking like he was about to jump up and down in excitement.

"Yeah…"

"It was awesome! I'm so happy Principal Black decided to let us enter… I would've been so disappointed if I just watched you kick ass from the stands…" Ted paused. "No offense, I know it would've been an awesome show with you and Maria and Gregor, but it was just soooo much more fun joining in." He said.

"Uh…"

"Oh, and take a look at this!" Ted gestured to the sword on his hip. Wait… two swords? "That fire-sword guy was totally cool! He even let me borrow his, though I had to promise I wouldn't use it on anyone, so I still need to use the normal one, but he said I can use it on the guys on the Principal's list or something…" Seeing Percy's troubled look, Ted hurriedly explained, his understanding way off the mark. "Ah, don't worry bud. Shishio told me that the only people on the list was you and me, so no worries! We can have fun with the fire sword together when we meet in the one-on-ones!" Ted promised, slapping Percy's back repeatedly until it was stinging.

"You better not! I don't want to…" Percy near yelled, gearing up for a heated rant in hopes of putting the brakes on the Ted engine but it was all for naught. The older boy carried on, talking over Percy's words.

"Yeah, I won't hold back! Don't worry!" Ted nodded at him solemnly. "I respect you too much to do something like that… ah" The older teen looked at his wrist where a nonexistent watch would have been. "I'm late… I promised Carlie and the guys I'd sit with them." Ted rushed to the door waving his hand behind him. "I'll see you later Percy! Hopefully we won't meet until we have an epic clash in the finals!" He said not looking back and leaving through the door like a raging storm, bringing chaos in its wake and leaving without a care. The last thing Percy heard was Ted letting out a pumped-up whoop and he could easily picture his friend jumping around in excitement in the arena halls.

And people said he was hyper. His ADHD was nothing compared to how Ted was today.

The room fell silent at Ted's exit. Actually, they've been silent all throughout the conversation – if you could call it that – between Percy and Ted. It was like they were intentionally making themselves less prominent just in case the overly cheerful freshman wouldn't notice them and inadvertently ensnare them into some crazy shit like the one Percy just got roped into.

"Well…" Mr. Brunner started breaking the silence. "That was… interesting."

"Heh." Percy let out, before breaking into some kind of insane, maniacal laughter. "HAHAHAHAhahaheh"

" _He lost it…"_

" _I wouldn't blame him… did you even see what happened?"_

" _It's a bit creepy to be honest…"_

People who witnessed the exchange and Percy's reaction started whispering in low, barely audible tones. Furtive and cautionary glances were also shot towards the laughing boy right up until his laughter petered out that the whispers and looks stopped and the peanut gallery switched to deliberately avoiding eye contact, though unnoticed by near everyone, Juliet was still staring at Percy, smothering a giggle behind her hand.

"Are you done?" Mr. Brunner asked as Percy wiped a tear from his eye.

"Yes. Thank you for being patient with me, sir."

"No trouble at all m'boy. It's better to let it out instead of letting the stress get to us"

Percy nodded. It sounded like sound advice and it made him wonder if Mr. Brunner ever had to let loose like that. He doubted it. The man looked so collected and in control that Percy couldn't see him as being otherwise.

A sharp clapping from near the snack table drew their attention and Percy's jaw dropped and his blood started flowing south as his eyes fell on Juliet. Even with the mask, Percy could tell it was her by her hair, her mannerism and most helpfully, her fit body wrapped in that skimpy outfit, especially her toned and sexy midriff. God those were amazing. Astra had a flat and toned stomach but not, honest to goodness, washboard abs like Juliet.

Percy tore his gaze from her bangin' bod with great difficulty to look up at her face where their eyes met behind her mask, resulting in the boy gaining this wonderfully pink dusting to his cheeks.

Juliet was looking in Percy's direction, wanting to see what his reaction would be at the sight of her and it didn't disappoint. A smirk was on the blonde's face as she shot the boy a wink, happy knowing that even hiding her identity he could recognize her – though admittedly, it was an amateurish disguise – and taking pleasure at seeing him gulp noticeably and adjust his jeans at the action.

Pressing on, Juliet brought out a clipboard and a large bowl of some kind before ordering the staff to clear the snack table. She then explained who she was, giving an alias as her announcer persona, what she was doing and what she wanted them to do. Seeing the participants jump into action, Juliet whispered a set of instructions to the female staff member while the contestants were forming a single file line in front of the now cleared snack table.

Answered with a nod, Juliet watched the woman standby the door to relay instructions to any late contestants. "Okay people! We have twenty minutes, tops, before you all have to go out there and beat the shit out of each other so I want this to go quick and easy, capisce?" A murmur of affirmatives answered her and so the processing went.

It went smoothly for the first couple or so contestants. All of them had the right numbers, they didn't push each other to move the line along faster and there really weren't a lot of things Juliet could complain about. She even had an interesting conversation with the teacher in the wheelchair before Juliet laid him off to another staff member when he asked if she could 'perchance get a cup of chamomile tea' for him to, as he said, 'get rid of the jitters' because he missed the opportunity to grab a drink and a snack for himself before she cleared the snack table. Fortunately, they had just enough time, around fifteen minutes, to go to the festival, where the two went off looking for tea and snacks, and get back.

Still, things were going well. She shouldn't have spoken too soon.

"Name and number, please." Juliet deadpanned, not even looking up from her clipboard. She was only going through the motions by now, the contestants after Mr. Brunner being somewhat boring.

"Ooh, aren't you forward." He said cheekily. "Nathan Lake…" The guy then proceeded to belt out a string of numbers that were suspiciously similar to a phone number. "So, what's your number, long legs?"

Juliet looked up from her clipboard, annoyed. It was the guy staring at her creepily from the corner and now he didn't even have the decency to look at her face, to busy at ogling the goods/ Damn it. She still had so much to do and did not need this right now. "Your number." Her voice was frosty like the Antarctic. "Make it quick."

"Sorry darling. I don't do quick. Don't do easy either…" The creep, Nathan, leaned over the table to get into her personal space. "I only do it hard… and long… all night if you want?" He whispered in a sultry voice, making Juliet shudder in disgust.

Taking her reaction as one of pleasure and desire, Nathan grabbed at her upper arms roughly, pulling her in close to his face. "Don't worry babe. I'll take care of you. Prepare yourself 'cause I'mma rock your world."

Nathan smirked as he felt a hand grab his hair roughly, thinking it was Juliet – he really liked the feisty ones – and leaned further in to claim the hottie's lips when he was suddenly jerked away by his hair, pulling painfully on his roots. Then just as abruptly, the momentum reversed, having been pulled back just enough to be over the table, Nathan's head was violently slammed forward, his forehead banging loudly on the tabletop.

A groaning Nathan collapsed to the floor revealing a furious Percy Jackson, and if anyone but Juliet had seen his face just then, they'd be having nightmares.

There weren't though. Only Juliet was witness to his face, with all the occupants of the room standing behind the furious boy, and what a sight it was to the girl. Furiously wild eyes with barely restrained killing intent directed at the boy currently cradling his broken nose on the floor and something else surfacing in his eyes as he shifted his gaze to Juliet. Something beautiful. Something dark. Something carnal.

The people behind Percy, though unseeing of the boy's face, could feel an oppressive presence hanging in the air. It was thick and suffocating and it terrified them, some deep-seated instinct urging them to flee, that they were but ants compared to the being before them and they did, all taking a step away from the boy until they were all compressed further back, a good few meters away.

Again, to Juliet it was different. It was like a being of immense power and oozed danger had her in its powerful grasp, not to hurt her but to keep her away from anyone else. Juliet felt like Ann Darrow held in King Kong's hands as he swatted away any who dared take her, because the great ape had claimed Ann as his own, just as Juliet felt – and hoped – Percy was making claims to her.

Juliet heard of something similar before from her old master, though she wasn't entirely sure if she was correct. Warriors that have trained their minds, bodies and spirit so religiously that the air itself changes in their presence, an aura that reflects their inner selves and projects it into the world. There were rumors of masters of aura circulating in the underworld that have taken their craft to great heights; who could use their powerful aura to strengthen their bodies to superhuman levels or weaponized their aura, incorporating it into martial arts.

It was similar but also different from intent which had similar effects but was something of a more mental and physical reaction to targeted purpose. It was something only living beings could experience, whether it was the nervous, heart-stopping sensation of directed killing intent, the arousing effect of lustful intent or any other kind of intent there was.

Aura, on the other hand, affected the world on a more metaphysical sense. There were lots of different names for Aura – chi, chakra, and ki being the most known – and it was generally accepted as some kind of energy, though what it was, was up for debate. And unlike intent, it could affect the world itself, not just living beings, like what Juliet felt Percy was doing, though she wasn't entirely sure. It didn't feel like intent though, especially since it seemed like there was a weight pressing into the table Juliet was standing by but that would mean that this was Percy's aura. Something wild, feral, uncontrolled and powerful.

It was a conundrum to Juliet, though it was also really… good. It was really stimulating being wrapped around Percy's aura or intent or whatever it was it could be. Juliet could get used to this.

A heartbeat later and the atmosphere lightened, whatever Percy was doing retreating inside him.

"Geez, man. Don't you know how to take a hint?" Percy said lightly to the guy still whimpering on the floor, clutching his aching head. "Now stop holding up the line and tell 'Gabrielle'," Juliet's alias, a nod to Warrior Princess. "your number or you can go forfeit right now." He urged harshly, gesturing to Juliet holding her clipboard to her chest and discreetly rubbing her thighs together behind the table.

"Hngh…" Nathan grunted as he stood up on shaky legs, shooting Percy a dirty but fearful look, before taking out a white ball from his pocket. He showed the ball to Juliet, who was blankly staring out into space, his registration number clear in sight before chucking the ball into the bowl and running with his tail between his legs. "You better watch your back…" He mumbled under his breath, the disorientation of having his head slammed on a table making him miss the heavy atmosphere that was present barely a minute ago, and letting him retain a smidgen of defiance but unfortunately, Percy still heard him.

"Hn, what was that?" Percy drawled out slowly, making Nathan squeak and quickly get the hell out of dodge, rushing out the door probably to visit the infirmary.

"I'll be back to kick your ass Jackson!" He yelled as he left, his voice quickly fading out as he got farther and farther away. "You have no idea who you just crossed!"

Percy sighed, tousling his hair. "Figures. Did he have to be one of those cliché bullies and have the last word in?" Reaching into his jeans pocket, Percy turned to show Juliet his number when he noticed the girl unresponsive. Her face was flushed, her breathing heavy, hugging her clipboard to her armor-clad chest and her normally bright jade green eyes were darkened as she stared blankly in his direction. "Ju-Gabrielle?" He corrected, remembering she was incognito for some reason, waving a hand in front of her face. No dice. "You okay?"

Juliet, was in fact, more than okay. "Peachy." Juliet mumbled absently. Okay, she was a bit distracted, but still okay. She had been preoccupied trying to etch what she felt being enveloped in Percy's aura to memory and to be honest, she was more than a bit aroused, which didn't help her any. Juliet could feel herself poking at her sports bra she was wearing under her chest plate, her nipples as hard as diamonds and she was barely resisting the urge to rub her thighs together to alleviate the heat pooling in her loins.

If her master or even her brother was with her now, she'd probably in deep shit. Getting stunned for so long and not even attempting to recover would have probably earned her a couple hundred more reps if she was lucky. She'd be dead if she wasn't, leaving herself open like she was doing. Still, her master wasn't here, her brother wasn't here and she wasn't in some battlefield or mission. Her only task was as simple as processing a couple of harmless kids to take part in a tournament. She could afford the luxury of slacking off for a bit.

Percy was dubious. It didn't look like Juliet was 'peachy', especially with her still being dazed. He was getting a bit impatient since the next round was bound to start soon, but at the same time, he was worried for Juliet. Maybe that creep got to her more than Percy thought.

He snapped her fingers right under her nose, trying to snap her out of her funk. Still, beyond Juliet blinking confusedly a couple of times, there was no response. He was just about to go shake her by the shoulder in an effort to jolt her awake but his gaze landed on her exposed stomach and he felt an acute curiosity on what a girl's abs would feel like. Was it similar to his own budding abdominals?

The boy shook his head, trying to ignore the urge to poke Juliet's toned midriff but it just wouldn't leave. There it was, stuck in his head egging him on to do what he wanted. It didn't help that Juliet looked really good in her outfit and with her flushed face looked really sexy. It would've been a real dirtbag move of him, especially since a real douche of a guy had just come onto her real hard, not to mention his earlier epiphanies regarding his relationship with Astra, and here he was already doing something similar, but the sight of her was really running his motor.

" _Ah, fuck it."_ Percy thought, reaching forward with finger poised, heading straight for Juliet's exposed tummy. His heart was pumping so loud Percy could hear it as his index finger drew closer and closer to its desired destination and his mouth suddenly went dry when he was close enough to feel Juliet's feverishly hot skin.

Licking his lips in anticipation, Percy closed the distance, watching with darkened as his index made contact with the firm muscles close to Juliet's belly button when…

" _Eep!"_

Juliet was broken out of her stupor by a ticklish feeling coming from her tummy, making her yelp in both surprise and in an attempt to ignore the giggles trying to escape her. Looking down, Juliet saw a finger poking into her flat waist. Her gaze following the appendage up to a masculine hand connected to a toned forearm, higher and higher until her eyes locked with underwear-ruining sea-green orbs, the sight of which broke Juliet's control and there were a few relieving moments of her thighs rubbing together before she regained herself.

" _Great. Now I have to change panties before I go out… at least the bottom part of my costume is waaay easier to get out of than the top."_ Juliet thought irritably. Well, as irritatably as she could at that point. It was hard to get even annoyed when you looked at those enchanting sea-green eyes and that lopsided grin.

Percy noticed Juliet return to her senses so they should probably get back to business, but the cute squeak that escaped her pretty pink lips amused him too much. Feigning ignorance and playing it casual, Percy proceeded to give her muscled tummy another couple of pokes, which Percy had to say was quite similar to his own underdeveloped abs but with far smoother skin, while he tried his best to keep a blush creeping up to his face. "Gabrielle? You good now? Can you go process me now so the line can move again?" He said, keeping his eyes locked with Juliet's and trying to keep a straight face though another round of _eeps_ got to him and he grinned at her jade green eyes narrowed at him behind her red and black mask.

"Yes, sir." Juliet drawled, reluctantly pushing Percy's hand away from her, her grasp lingering a bit too long. "I'm good. Now," she said, trying to be all business-like. To her surprise, she managed to keep her voice even through the butterflies in her stomach. "Name and number please."

"Oh, come on, Juliet. Don't be like that." Percy lowered his voice until it was barely a whisper so that the others behind him couldn't hear and Juliet had to lean forward slightly and strain her ears just to hear him. "You don't have to be so cold to me. We're friends, right?" He whispered even lower in a rough voice making Juliet shudder, this time in pleasure.

"Hmph…" Juliet turned her face away from him, whipping her braided ponytail in his face. "I'm still mad at you, you know." She sulked, trying her best to muster up all the indignation she could to cover up just how much the simple act of him whispering intimately to her affected her.

"Wha?"

"You don't get to treat me like a damsel in distress. I don't need no knight in shining armor."

' _I just want one.'_ She admitted internally. _'Someone who'll keep me safe, make me feel special and love me. Can you be that?'_

"I can take care of myself." Juliet continued out loud as she crossed her arms, her metal chest plate making a nails-on-a-chalkboard sound as it rubbed up against her bracers, making both of them wince. Juliet lowered her hands back to her sides as she pressed on. "I was a second away from laying that stupid excuse for a man on the floor, clutching his family jewels in the fetal position."

"Well," Percy smiled at her and she felt her heart flutter. "Now you don't have to dirty your hands on his 'family jewels' because I took care of it for you." He teased, winking at her subtly. "Besides, do you really think I'd be able to restrain myself seeing that _creep_ all over _you_?" Juliet noticed him growling at the word 'creep', a deep rumbling of his throat that produced a spine-chilling sound. It was like the simple thought of Nathan alone made him furious. She missed the warmth in Percy's voice as it referred to her.

"Hmm, fine. I'll give you a freebie this one time." Juliet allowed, looking at him from the corner of her eye. Her face was still turned away from him. "But the next time you treat me like a helpless maiden, I'll kick your ass."

Percy laughed. "Ooh, kinky."

Juliet glanced at him, seeing his eyes light up in amusement and she grinned, turning to face him again. "Hundred-twelve, right?" She asked, though she was already writing down his name and his number on her clipboard. "Just leave your number in the bowl and you can go."

"Here." Percy said, offering her the ball that contained his number perched innocently on his open palm.

Juliet looked at the object in his hand with a raised eyebrow. "Really? You couldn't have just dropped it in?" She sighed, reaching out to pick out the ball when Percy's fingers suddenly closed, trapping her hand in his. "Uh, Percy?"

"Are you alright?" He asked, concern lacing his tone. "You didn't look too good after that Nathan guy walked off…"

A warmth spread through Juliet. "Don't worry, Percy. I'm fine."

"Are you sure… you kinda froze up. He didn't… didn't…" Percy stammered and Juliet took note of how cute he looked when he was uncomfortable. Hmmm, cute, handsome, dangerous, Percy really was a complete package.

"Use your words, Percy. It can help." She teased, making her aww silently at the annoyed glare he sent her.

Percy cleared his throat. "He didn't steal a kiss or something, did he?" He finished though it looked like he had to spit his words out to say them properly.

"Fufu," Juliet chuckled, her free hand coming up to cover her mouth. "Why? You jealous?"

Percy sputtered. "Wha?! 'Course not. Pfftt…" He tried to deny it though his face was telling. There was a pink dusting on his cheeks and he deliberately avoided eye contact with her. He couldn't help it, though. He was… curious. Yeah, that was it. He wasn't jealous, just curious. Juliet teasing him like that just got to him. Yep. Not jealous. At all.

And it wasn't like the thing that acted up in his conscious reacted to the creep getting close to his Juliet like that. No, that only happens when it came to sports, and fighting, and when his Astra was involved. Nope, it totally didn't make him want to destroy Nathan Lake at all for getting close to Juliet. Nuh uh, no siree!

"Awww, you're so cute when you're all blushing like that…" Juliet teased him even more enjoying when his cheeks reddened further. "Ahh, I'm so jealous of my mistress. She gets to have you all to yourself… d'you think she'll mind sharing?" She tried to play it off like a joke but a bit of her true feelings leaked out. She could hear the tinge of bitterness and hope in her voice and she scolded herself mentally for letting it through, though fortunately, Percy didn't notice.

It wasn't like she was averse to the idea of sharing. Having an overprotective brother like Domovoi Butler and a master like Artemis Fowl II meant that she didn't have much experience with things like romance… or friends. The closest she ever got to someone her age was that gardener's scruffy son that used to work in the manor when she was sixteen and the poor boy and his father – Juliet couldn't even remember their names now – was fired soon after her brother found out the boy had an interest in her. It wouldn't be worth mentioning all the other suitors older than her. She doubted they were well after her brother was done with them.

It wasn't like she didn't love her brother but sometimes he could be really annoying. Juliet was an independent woman who could break someone's bones more than a hundred ways. She didn't need a babysitter. Alas, it looked like if anyone wanted to get with her, they'd had to go through her brother first.

So, no, she wasn't averse to sharing Percy as long as she got a piece. It was better than nothing, after all. With a bit of work, she was sure he would be good enough to be accepted by brother, even the young master maybe. That presence of his was proof of his potential. It didn't help that even Juliet could tell that her mistress was drop dead gorgeous and she was brave enough to admit to being a bit bi-curious. Why not go with the best to satisfy that curiosity?

Percy scowled, though his face was scarlet now. "Geez, Juliet. Don't even joke about things like that." He whispered, looking around to see if anyone was listening in. They were on a dangerous topic now, one that could destroy a couple of careers if he wasn't careful. It wasn't something as silly as some alias.

Lucky for them, all the other kids were standing far away, though he didn't know why. "Well, it looks like you're good if you can joke like that. I should get going if you're gonna finish up here. Looks like there's still a fair bit to go." He said, releasing Juliet's hand, leaving his number, and hiking a thumb over his shoulder at the remaining contestants yet to be processed. There was a slow but steady influx of participants entering the room, directed by the staffer standing by the door. They were up to twenty now, so there were only a few left outside, along with Mr. Brunner and that Nathan guy that ran away.

"Oh shit." Juliet scrambled for her clipboard which lay forgotten on the table after writing Percy's info. "We'll meet up later, Percy. It'll be a close finish…" She made a pitiful sound that Percy strangely found quite cute. "There's so many of them left… fuck my life."

Percy chuckled at her use of profanity, seeing a pretty girl like her cursing was quite the novel experience. "No problem, Gabrielle. See you after I win the tournament."

"Yeah, yeah." Juliet made shooing motion at him. "I'll give you a kiss if you win." She commented offhandedly, getting back to work before the words even left her mouth. "Back to the line, please! Next person! Hurry up, hurry up!"

Percy gaped at her as his mind processed the meaning of her words. His gaze looked at her disbelievingly, appalled at how easily she could throw such words around but then he noticed how focused she was on her work. Sweat was building up on her forehead but she ignored it, concentrating intensely on what she was doing and he chose to let the subject drop so she could fulfill her duties. Besides, she was probably just kidding. He took a seat in the corner, waiting for the moment they were let out on the field.

Although it did make him curious. Watching Juliet bite her lower lip in concentration, it made him wonder, if Astra's lips were impossibly sweet, tasting of orange, rose petals and confectionary sugar, what would Juliet's taste like?

As it would seem, like vanilla and custard, as he would soon find out.

Mr. Brunner's earlier words planted a seed born of a fantasy of bindings and ropes. Already, a sapling had sprouted.

* * *

It was a testament to Juliet's efficiency that, even with the numerous delays, all the participants were processed just as they were being called out to the battlefield. Although it was finished completely, it was just as the messenger arrived so it was a very close thing and Percy could see that it took it's toll on Juliet, maybe not physically, but definitely mentally. Immediately after the last person was processed, a second before the messenger called them out, Percy saw Juliet slump to a seat with her amazing legs stretched out, her head laid back and her eyes closed.

He was tempted to do something, maybe cover her up with a blanket, but there were a couple of things that prevented him from doing so. First, it was finally their turn at the battlegrounds and his group were slowly but surely trickling out of the waiting room. Second, he didn't even know where to get a blanket from.

" _Besides…"_ Percy thought, his eyes once more being drawn to Juliet's lips. It was something that was constantly happening to him every few minutes or so since she said she'd kiss him if he won, even though it was probably a joke. Yep, it was just a joke, right? _"I'm not sure I could even do it, really. Not right now when I feel so awkward just looking at her."_ A joke it might've been, Percy still couldn't get it out of his head and awkward as he might feel, he still couldn't help but give her an appreciative look over, his gaze descending from her face and her lips down her scrumptious figure and wonderful legs, all on full-display for his viewing pleasure.

His appreciation of Juliet was interrupted when he was jostled from behind by some of his fellow competitors, though he was a bit confused when the girl who bumped into him squeaked in fright and apologized profusely before scampering away with her friends in tow. Watching the girl depart with curious eyes, the boy shrugged dismissing the strangeness of the confrontation and decided to just go on. It wouldn't do for him to stay here and look at Juliet all day, he had a tournament to win.

Percy, while walking with the group, noted that Mr. Brunner had yet to return but he wasn't all that worried. The man would probably meet up with the group on the way outside. On that note, he had also yet to see Mrs. Dodds, but he was sure Juliet processed all of them – it was hard not to notice when she suddenly pumped her fist up with a tired cheer before collapsing on her chair – so maybe Mrs. Dodds was already standing-by somewhere after being pre-processed.

He wasn't wrong. A couple of turns later and there Mr. Brunner was, lounging comfortably in his wheelchair, a staff member by his side, drinking from a teacup like he was in a tea party instead of going to a sword fight. Hell, he'd even got one of those wheelchair trays attached to the arms of his wheelchair, a plate of pastries laid atop.

"Fancy a scone, Percy?" Mr. Brunner asked, sliding the plate of pastries forward on his tray.

Percy raised an eyebrow and looked pointedly at the man's sword, the hilt peeking out from his back. Unlike Percy and most of the other contestants, Mr. Brunner had a back sheathe so he could easily draw his sword even while sitting down in his wheelchair.

"I'll take that as a 'no'. Very well, it is your loss." Mr. Brunner said, making a show out of sipping his tea and eating his scone.

Percy turned away from the sight, hiding his grimace. It wasn't like Mr. Brunner was a messy eater or something gross like that, but he was no Astra. Percy could still remember the way she ate the oysters on their date – her heated gaze locked onto his own as she gracefully tipped back the crustacean, the pleased moan she made as she swallowed and the way her throat muscles moved as the oyster meat slid down – with such clarity that it could still make him blush. Percy didn't want his memory of that night, of that moment, superseded by an image of a bearded middle-aged man with long stringy brown hair drinking tea and scones. It was… no. Just no.

Turning back to the man, memories cleansed the best he could, Percy urged his teacher to finish his food quickly. They were almost at the arena floor, the large archway leading outside already visible.

"No worries, Percy. I will fulfill my part of the agreement, so long as you keep yours."

Percy nodded. He was going to do that anyways, even without the reminder.

Before he knew it, they were out in the open with the sun beating down on their backs and the cheering of the crowd ringing in their ears. Percy could distinctly hear his friends cheering for him in the front seats. Jane in particular was cheering like it was just another sports game and she was cheerleading with her friends. This kinda made him feel bad since he was too busy observing the previous rounds to even cheer for his friends, yet here they were, screaming his name and clapping for him until their voices were sore and their palms red.

"I'm looking forward to seeing you perform, Jackson." A voice called from directly behind him, making Percy jump in surprise and frantically spun around to face the speaker.. The voice behind him cackled. "You better learn to pay attention to your surroundings, Jackson. Who knows, it might make the difference between life and death."

"Mrs. Dodds." Percy nodded curtly at the woman. "Might I just say, you look particularly bloodthirsty today." It was true. Although the armor and sword she was using was just the same as what was given to the majority of the contestants, it seemed… more… when it was on Mrs. Dodd's frame. Maybe it was the way her leathery skin looked in the sun's rays.

The feared teacher cackled once more. "Flattery won't help you from me, Jackson."

"No, I will, Alecto."

Mrs. Dodds snarled. "Brunner!" Strangely enough, her skin seemed to lose color, slowly becoming more of an ashy gray and before he even noticed it, her sword seemed to spring into her hand because she was suddenly pointing it at Mr. Brunner.

"Now, now, Alecto." Mr. Brunner soothed. "Percy need not concern himself with you, for I will face you myself. However, wouldn't it be unseemly for two of our stature, as educators, to devolve into a meaningless tussle even before the tournament starts?" Mr. Brunner tried a smile but it looked more like a glower than anything. "Lower your sword, Alecto, or I will be forced to draw mine."

The teacher's hand reached up to the hilt on his shoulder, partially revealing the bronze blade sheathed at his back. Percy recognized the blade. It was the one Mr. Brunner used to bring in class, when he would challenge them, sword point to chalk to go up to the board and write every Greek or Roman person that ever lived, who their father was and what god the believed in, though it was the first time he had ever seen the sword so close. Of the little peek the blade revealed, Percy could see some kind of script, Greek letters, etched into the blade, though he couldn't really see it that well from the distance.

"You would use _that_ here, horse?"

"If I must." Mr. Brunner answered calmly and it would've one hell of a badass moment, if he hadn't taken that moment to take a sip of tea.

Mrs. Dodds snarled but acquiesced, sheathing her sword and made to leave when she suddenly turned back to Percy. Her skin returned to what it was before, leathery and wrinkled but very much human skin, making Percy wonder if he just imagined it turning as gray. "Word of warning, Jackson. You're not the only one with a teacher for an ally in this battle. The person you angered has quite a bit of pull around here."

Percy just nodded in acknowledgement and watched as Mrs. Dodds walked into the crowd of armed students until she stopped as a half-dozen group of tall, muscular seniors hailed her attention, with one Nathan Lake right in the middle.

The teen noticed him looking at them and sneered at him before turning away in a huff to talk to his cronies. If Percy could have seen through solid objects, he would have noticed Nathan's head was wrapped in bandages under his helmet. Alas, that was something beyond his ability and as such, the only visible sign he could discern of Nathan's injury was the senior moving gingerly and his special care not to jostle his head.

Percy would've classified him as a non-threat but the group of muscle-bound henchmen and the presence of Mrs. Dodds, whom he somehow convinced to ally with them, dissuaded him of that notion.

"Have you done something to upset young Lake, Percy?" Mr. Brunner asked, having seen the silent exchange between the two boys.

"It's a long story sir. It's not worth mentioning."

"If you say so."

Percy didn't reply, opting to instead look towards the VIP balcony. What was taking so long? They were all ready to go and Percy was starting to itch for a fight, the sight of the hated Nathan Lake reminding him of just what the creep tried and having put him in a mood.

Naturally, Percy's eyes were drawn to his pale-haired goddess sitting on the throne right in the middle of the balcony, bouncing in place in childish excitement. She stopped as she noticed him looking at her as their eyes met and even with the distance between them, Percy could feel it affecting him, the horrendous mood brought about by Nathan Lake soothing away as he stared at her familiar form, only to be replaced by an ever-burning need to fight, to win. For her.

A grin formed on his face, one matched by the woman he was locked eyes with. She winked at him, careful not to get noticed so as not to be seen playing favorites, mouthing good luck, and not a second later, the bell rang signaling the start of the final melee.

Acting on instinct, Percy jumped forward, even as the bell still rang, his hand flying to the hilt of his sword as he approached the closest enemy within striking distance. The enemy, one of the few girls in the tournament, scrambled to raise her sword to defend but it was too late. Far too late.

She was lucky she was late. Instead of Percy's intended attack – hitting her sword with enough power to blow open her guard, then knock her out with a blow to the helmet – because of the lateness of her defense, a less painful method was made available. Percy swung his sword right at the base, inches from her hand, and with the girl's poor grip, her sword flew away and she was left weaponless and disqualified from the tourney.

Before the girl even registered the loss of her weapon, Percy was already moving towards his next target. This time, his opponent's grip was too firm to disarm him the same way so he returned to his original tactic. A one-two hit, the first one blowing open the defenses with a powerful swing to his opponent's sword, the second knocking them out with a well-placed blow to the head. It was a pair of basic diagonal slashes but the power Percy packed into it, and the technique required to smoothly chain the second strike so soon after knocking his opponent's sword away elevated the move to heights the other students couldn't hope to reach.

On and on he went, tearing apart swathes of his fellow competitors and leaving unconscious or unarmed kids in his path. It was readily apparent that there was a pattern to Percy's victories. It was either one of three moves; a one-hit disarming technique, a one-two that broke through defenses and left his opponents helpless and the occasional two-handed blow that packed enough power that it simply ignored any defense like it wasn't even there.

Percy sometimes noticed Mr. Brunner in his periphery vision – a trail of brown hair, a squeak of a wheel, a glimpse of bronze, the occasional sound of sipped tea (for goodness sake, the guy was still drinking his cup) – watching his back, but for the most part, Percy concentrated on taking out everything that stood near him, which was admittedly very small in number. It did the trick though. Mr. Brunner was safe from getting surrounded while he had the luxury of focusing on attacking, his back safely entrusted to a trustworthy man. All according to plan.

It didn't take long before it looked like this round was going to be a repeat of the last one. A circle of empty space was starting to form around Percy and Mr. Brunner, where all the other contestants were fighting each other but would quickly stop to create distance whenever Percy approached.

Well, it would've been a repeat of Ted's round if it wasn't for Nathan and his group. Unlike the rabble that did their best to stay out of Percy's way, the senior's group was fighting their way through the opposing waves of fleeing contestants to get to them.

Nathan was right in the middle, protected by a wall of muscle, courtesy of his goons. Mrs. Dodds was next to him, watching impassively, her sword safely sheathed at her waist. She too was protected, even though in Percy's opinion, she didn't really need to be.

Perhaps they were saving her strength for them? That sounded pretty sensible. Don't pull out your trump card right away. Use the right personnel for the right job. These were things that Percy learned through, ugh, _reading_ (it was a slow and painful process but he'd been getting better, though it'd take a long time for him to actually enjoy it) _,_ and it looked like Mrs. Dodds read the same books he did.

She was commanding them, Percy realized, as he watched her bark out orders and point at targets which the goons promptly followed. He didn't know how a math teacher would know battle tactics worked but it was efficient. They're defenses were tight, protecting Mrs. Dodds, the commander and Nathan, the sleazy, pigheaded emperor maybe, and they were steadily advancing, getting closer and closer to Percy's area.

"Percy!" A voice called directly behind him, Mr. Brunner. Percy didn't bother to face the man, they were in battle and it would be suicide to turn your back to the enemy, but he did nod to show he was listening. "It's quite clear we have no rival other than Alecto's group. Shall we advance? Or will we stand our ground?"

Percy didn't know why but it sounded like Mr. Brunner was testing him. There was something in his tone that made him feel like it, like he was curious about what Percy would do. Why, he didn't know, but there was one thing he did know.

He _really_ wasn't the type to sit still when he could do something right _now._

"We move." Percy decided promptly and Mr. Brunner couldn't help but be impressed at the decisiveness the boy was showing. He had to admit, he had wanted to see how Percy would do in a leadership position, even if they were only two people, but even so he was glad to see that Percy was fully capable of taking charge.

So far, he was proving he had the chops to lead, something that is essential if he were to go on a…

" _Don't think about it, Chiron. The solstice deadline will be resolved without involving a barely trained, as-of-yet ignorant demigod."_

"Mr. Brunner!" Percy called out, bringing the man out of his thoughts. They were about to enter the fray, a mass of bodies flailing around in a facsimile of real combat. "I'll leave Mrs. Dodd's to you, sir." Percy said, eyeing the food tray still balanced on his wheelchair. "Let me take care of the others."

Mr. Brunner nodded, wordlessly smacking a random contestant's sword out of their hand with the pommel of his, eliminating them from the running, and handing the tray, teacup and all, to the bewildered boy. "Take care of that for me, will you?"

The teacher didn't wait for an answer. He quickly rolled his wheelchair forward, following Percy as he forced open a path through the mass of bodies to a more worthwhile opponent. "Do you have a plan, m'boy?"

"I do." Percy yelled, busy as he was knocking another couple of heads. "Hit them 'til either they let go of their sword or sleeping on the ground."

"Good plan."

Shingo was watching the going-ons with slackened jaw. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. The boy, Percy, was good. Really good. Every swing was flawlessly executed with minimal waste in movements and every move was calculated to take out another enemy. The growing pile of fallen bodies was proof of how good the boy was at swordplay.

Percy was good. Great. A natural. However, in Shingo's opinion, Percy paled against the wheelchair-bound man following behind him. That teacher was just insane.

"Is there some kind of sword style invented by invalids I don't know about?"

Grover laughed, the kids joining in. "If there was, I'm sure Mr. Brunner helped invent it."

"That first day of training, he utterly wiped the floor with a class bully."

"Mr. B is pretty cool. For a teacher, I mean."

"Maybe I should ask if he'd teach me. Cripple-fu? Handicapped-do"

"Duuude… that's a bit dark, don'tcha think?"

Shingo ignored the kids joking around and turned to the battle area once more. He was utterly fascinated by the way this Brunner person moved. It was unlike anything he'd ever seen.

"Has anyone even seen him use his sword? Like, really use it?" Jane asked, making Shingo think back. The girl was right. Most of the time, the teacher rarely used his sword, and if he ever did, it was only for defense or for pommel strikes.

Not once did he use the blade to attack. What's more, he used his wheelchair like an additional weapon. The rare occasion when an attack got through his guard, the man would jolt his chair forwards or backwards, shifting points of contact and the timings of the strikes. He even made use of the strange tray on his chair, getting another thing between his body and the swords of the other competitors and acting as some kind of barrier or shield.

"That's… it's really impressive." Shingo commented as Percy and his impressive ally finally cut through and were now facing the other group. Actually, it was only the ten of them left.

"Hey! That's not fair!" Jane pouted at the sight. "It's eight against two!"

Maria scoffed. "Yeah. They probably need a few more people and they might have a fighting chance."

"Yeah, yeah." Jane nodded. "Percy and Mr. Brunner can't go up against all those guys by themselves! They even have the demon teacher with them!"

"Oh." Maria sounded honestly surprised. "I was talking about Mrs. Dodds's group."

"Wha?"

"C'mon Jane. Do you really think eight untrained goons is enough to fight off Percy? Especially when he actually has someone competent on his side? He just went through more than a dozen people, by himself almost!"

"To be fair, they have Mrs. Dodd's on their side." Gregor commented though you could still hear the confidence in his voice. He knew his friend would pull through. Maria was right.

"Okay. Seven bumbling muscle-brained idiots and Mrs. Dodds…"

"That guy in the center doesn't look like a bumbling muscle-brained idiot." Grover retorted.

"Ugh. Fine. Six bumbling muscle-brained idiots, a creepy-looking wannabe ladies' man and Mrs. Dodds…" Maria paused, looking around the group for any more interruptions. Seeing there was none, she continued. "have a chance agai-"

"One of them is charging aaaand… he's out."

"ARGH! Fine! I'll just shut up!"

The kids laughed at his little girl's indignation and Shingo couldn't help but smile. He sat back and enjoyed the show, getting over just how shocking the man named Mr. Brunner was and focusing on one Percy Jackson. It looked like his daughter was in good hands here.

"Finally! It's just you and me, Jackson!" Nathan Lake boasted, his sword pointed at Percy's chest. "You're good, I'll admit, but you're no rival for the great Nathan Lake!"

Percy raised an eyebrow, looking pointedly at the five-person wall of muscle – one member of the squad had charged him moments before and was already slumped on the ground – between him and his supposed rival. Or, rather, his supposed non-rival. His gaze returned to the ringleader's, an amused smirk unwittingly gracing his face.

Nathan had the decency to look abashed. "I- don't patronize me Jackson!"

"I'm not." Percy replied demurely, holding his ground for the obligatory banter, his sword flourishing as he twirled it absently. He noticed Nathan watching the movement of his sword, as if in a trance. "I'm just wondering how it's just 'you and me' when you have your groupies with you."

Nathan sputtered. "T-they work for me! Nothing but an extension of my will, my hands, like your sword is to you!" He defended hotly but squeaked when one of his goons turned to talk him. Hushed but terse, at least judging by how beads of sweat started forming on Nathan's forehead, words were exchanged.

"Your hands having a mind of their own?" Percy was unable to keep the teasing tone from his voice. "Don't worry man, I can relate. Sometimes, I just blink and BAM…" He flicked his sword up sharply in an upwards slash, making Nathan pull back in surprise at the sudden movement, "Before I know it, someone's already down." He said before Percy once more went back to the lazy twirling. "Don't worry though. I find they come back under control easy enough."

Nathan was about to retort, the infuriating grin on Percy's face… well… infuriating him enough to quickly get over his nervousness at the sixth-grader's confidence, but his greatest – and scariest – ally interjected from beside him. "Enough talk, Jackson. Your attempt at wit is pitiful."

"Ah, Mrs. D. I almost didn't see you there between the massive D-bag and his not-so-small caretakers! How I missed an ancient-year-old woman wearing leather, I don't know, but how've you been?" Percy didn't know where he mustered the audacity to talk to Mrs. Dodds like that – maybe it was the high of battle – but he was sorely enjoying himself. "The D-bag been treating you well?"

Mrs. Dodds snarled and, waving Nathan's protests saying Percy was his, stepped forward with her sword brandished towards him ready to charge. Percy didn't back down, readying himself to meet the hated teacher at the middle, his reservations about any possible punishment, whether this year or the next, forgotten, lost in the moment as he was.

Thankfully, before either of them could come to blows – actually, they had yet to even step forwards – Percy's own ally stepped up. Or, rolled forward if you wanted to be accurate. A hand landed on Percy's shoulder, gently pushing him back.

"Now, now. Remember the plan Percy? You should. It was yours after all."

"Brunner!" Mrs. Dodds snarled as the other teacher continued to slowly advance but at an angle, drawing her away from the students.

"Percy?"

"Yes sir?"

"Remember the plan. Do your part and I'll do mine."

Percy looked at Nathan Lake. The boy was near vibrating in place, angry as he was at being ignored. "Right. I'll leave Mrs. Dodds to you then." He whispered to no one. The two teachers had already engaged each other a few ways away from them.

The crowd were at the edge of their seats as the two educators did battle. It was a pleasant surprise to see them come out onto the field, most of them didn't even know they could sign up. Now, two teachers who couldn't be more different were putting up the duel of the tournament. One was known for patience and wisdom, the other for harsh discipline and unpleasantness, and it showed.

Mr. Brunner didn't attack proactively, instead choosing to weather Mrs. Dodds fierce combos and lashing out at any opportunity presented. Of course, he couldn't do anything better. Mrs. Dodds had him beat in sheer mobility with him being stuck in a wheelchair.

Even though he was good at moving around, it didn't change the fact the he was in a wheelchair and didn't have as much freedom in his movements. He could move forwards, backwards and sideways well enough but he couldn't just turn around or turn on a dime like Mrs. Dodds could with her fully functional legs.

Mrs. Dodds knew that and knew how to exploit it best. She attacked from a multitude of angles, always moving to places that Mr. Brunner would find hard to cover. She kept the fight at mid-range, lunging strikes at Mr. Brunner's sides and sometimes even trying to get behind him, mixing it up with frontal attacks so as to keep the man on his toes. Figuratively, of course, since Mr. Brunner was sitting on his ass.

He did an admirable job at defending himself though. A lesser man would panic, frantically trying to block everything until they made a mistake. Mr. Brunner was not a lesser man and he calmly dealt with the attacks coming his way, using his sword when he could, letting his wheelchair take the hit if he couldn't. The man showed an impressive degree of body control, for a man who couldn't walk, twisting his torso away from few hits that went through his defenses.

Strangely enough, Mrs. Dodds didn't go for the legs, which was admittedly a jerk move attacking a crippled man's legs, but Percy didn't think the feared teacher actually cared for stuff like that. But no, Mrs. Dodds didn't attack Mr. Brunner's legs but it wasn't because of some altruistic reason. Percy didn't think Mrs. Dodds could even be altruistic. Instead, it came off to him as someone who knew attacking Mr. Brunner's legs would have had no effect at all.

Any further inspection was interrupted by Nathan Lake, who had finally had enough of being ignored like trash on the street, ordered his 'hands' in a shrill scream to charge Percy all at once. They showed hesitation, however, eyeing how Percy was still confidently standing his ground not the least bit intimidated by their numbers.

"He's just a sixth-grade brat!" Nathan screamed.

"But boss, didn't he just plow through all the other fellas until it was just us?"

"That's different!" Nathan insisted. "They were scared of the brat. They didn't jump him together, they ran away until he got to them one by one! Just gang up on him all at once! Or are you telling me you're afraid of some sixth-grade shit?"

A chorus of mumbled 'no'.

"Then go get 'im!"

"You know…" Percy drawled, just loud enough for him to be heard over the ooohs and aahs of the crowd reacting to the teacher's battle. "I think your hands don't work properly because they sense that you're too scared to come yourself." He said, staring directly into Nathan's narrowed eyes, the older teen's hands clenched so hard they were shaking. "After all, how can hands reach something when the rest of the body is too far away because it's scared to even come close."

Just as Percy wanted, the goading and taunting proved too much for the already high-strung teen, and with a pathetic sounding roar (well, pathetic to Percy), Nathan charged, overtaking his goons, which was something Percy needed if he wanted to personally take out Nathan himself.

He couldn't take the henchmen first. The round would've ended if he did, with him, Mr. Brunner, Mrs. Dodds and Nathan advancing and he didn't want that. There was no guarantee he'd get to fight the older teen in the one on ones and he even though he was a non-threat and a low-priority in the greater scheme of things, Percy very much wanted to make him pay for hitting on one of his friends.

Holding his sword in a proper grip, just as Mr. Brunner taught him, Percy's amused smirk morphed into a feral grin making Nathan Lake falter mid-step. As Percy was suddenly bursting with previously dormant righteous fury – even he didn't realize just how angry he was at Nathan hitting on Juliet, especially with said girl present to be an effective distraction, at least not until he was faced with the perfect opportunity to act upon his rage – Nathan suddenly realized that maybe this wasn't such a good idea. It was too late, however. He'd already gotten too close and it was too late to turn back.

Nathan Lake was about to find out an alternate definition of pain: 'The result of incurring the wrath of one Perseus Jackson'.

It was supposed to be an easy job with big pay. The kid was supposed to be a puny little upstart with more bark than bite, nothing more than a hyped-up guppy. They'd heard the rumors, of course, but they didn't really believe it. Come on, a sixth-grader as Robins' protégé? Sure, that sounded plausible. But a sixth-grader that was as good as Robins? Preposterous. Have you seen the guy? A once in a century talent, Ted Robins was, at least in this particular henchman's (though don't call him that to his face) opinion.

Turns out he was wrong. There were two of them. Nay, from the looks of it, Percy Jackson had even more potential than Ted had. A one in a million genius.

He really should've refused the job. At least by then, he'd already be knocked out on the sidelines instead of focused on like this. Or, he sould've asked for more money if he knew it'd be like this. One grand was really not enough. That was, like, just three month's allowance for him.

Naturally, even the hired henchmen were from wealthy families, as was the norm for Yancy. Still, while Mook #1 was questioning his decisions, his partners weren't idle.

"Why you little-"

"Get him! Don't let him co-"

"Ugh… my balls… please… I want to have kids…"

Yeah. They weren't idle. They were actively getting their asses kicked. Hard. Though the last guy was probably just overreacting. Hopefully. It didn't look too bad. Only one of his balls was probably crushed, so at least he still had another one!

Still, Mook#1, let's just call him Jimmy, was mesmerized just watching Percy move, even though it was scary as fuck being on opposite sides with the boy. There was something in the way the younger boy flowed from one move to the other, smoothly shifting through the motions and dancing away from any attacks sent his way. It was all sorts of cool to watch.

The crowd seemed to agree if they're cheers were any indicator. A lot of them thought the teacher's battle would be the highlight of the round. Sure, the action so far had been pretty good, but it didn't match up to the novelty of actually seeing two instructors slug it out, especially when one was keeping up while in a wheelchair.

Then, Percy, the boy who was at the very middle of all the worthwhile events this round, racking up the greatest number of knock outs by far and looking like an overall awesome guy, comes out and does something like a one versus seven. Well… one versus six, with one knocked out right at the start of the confrontation.

Talk about good entertainment. And they were losing. Badly. A group of high schoolers up against a sixth grader, someone no more than a child.

How humiliating.

For anyone who thought such things, Jimmy has something to say to you. Fuck off. Come down here and say that when you're on the business end of this prodigy's sword.

Just look at him go. The kid was utterly destroying his opponents.

Jimmy flashed back to when they were on their way to the waiting room. They were approached by this smarmy guy with a bandage wrapped around his head loudly complaining to anyone who would listen about this kid who knocked him out from behind while he was wooing some girl. He remembered how pleased they were when the slimy bastard, Nathan, offered them one grand, each, if they would help him take out that one kid for the fourth round. They were even paid two hundred bucks up front.

Right now, those two hundred dollars were burning a hole through Jimmy's wallet, taunting him. Why'd he even agreed to this.

They were excited at first. It was just one kid. A sixth-grader no less. Jimmy and his friends were high schoolers. The appearance of the infamous teacher, Mrs. Dodds, made them even more confident. One of his friends even said it was an easy job.

He was wrong.

Jimmy first thought something was amiss when a big circle was opened up, with their target and that disabled teacher right in the middle. Of course, Jimmy had been busy trying to get through the other contestants to get to Percy and Mr. Brunner to notice what happened at the very beginning. He'd only noticed when there were suddenly a lot more people congregating on their side of the field making it hard to move around because of all the bodies.

Then, finally, it was only them. Jimmy and his friends, with their employer and Mrs. Dodds on one side. Percy and Mr. Brunner on the other. At that point, Jimmy was starting to hesitate. He'd even tried to back out when his boss, that smarmy Nathan, tried to talk like they were his bitches. It felt good seeing the asshole squeak like a little girl. The kid's insults were also pretty good, with a decent dose of wit and a whole lot of sarcasm, something Jimmy could appreciate as long as he wasn't getting some flak.

Shots were fired but thankfully, none of them were really aimed Jimmy and his friends. Nathan, the bastard, did try to involve them but Percy kept bringing it back again and again on Nathan until finally their boss snapped.

Nathan, enraged by Percy's skillful taunting, charged by himself against a vastly superior opponent. Yep, not a great plan. You could tell even Nathan knew it too with his steps steadily faltering as he got closer and closer.

A few meters out from the boy, Nathan finally hit the brakes to full-stop but he was already too close. Percy exploded and with roaring passionate fury, pounced on the now quickly backtracking teen.

Jimmy remembered their employer scrambling to raise his sword but from what little he saw earlier of the boy, it was of no use. Percy was too skilled, Nathan was too much of a noob and it showed. Even Jimmy, who was also a noob at swordplay, could see his defenses was full of holes.

So, imagine his surprise when, with a loud clang of metal, Nathan actually managed to defend… well, if defending means getting your block knocked away so hard you actually hit yourself in the face with the flat side of your sword. Repeatedly.

It wasn't long before Jimmy knew for sure that Percy was playing with Nathan. The boy didn't aim for any of the older teen's exposed areas, instead choosing to ram his sword again and again with Nathan's.

The teen's lack of skill didn't help. It was obvious Nathan didn't know what he was doing, his sword only raised to block blows instead of catching them at an angle to parry. As a result, one in every four exchanges ended with Nathan hitting himself off of knockback, which was even more humiliating than getting pummeled by the opponent. At least that was what Jimmy would prefer. He wouldn't have been able to show up in public if he lost because he kept hitting himself in the face.

Jimmy had no doubt it was only a matter of time until Nathan's sword goes flying, on account of how numb his hands were getting. The only reason it hadn't yet was that whenever it looked like Nathan's grip would give, Percy would pull back just long enough for the teen to recover his hold, no more, no less, before going on him again.

Jimmy would've felt bad for Nathan if the guy wasn't such as ass. No, it was Percy Jimmy felt for. It would've been different if the boy was enjoying it, but he wasn't. The anger he'd seen at the start had also quickly gone out and all that was left was… was that disappointment?

"What are you idiots waiting for?! I'm not paying you to just stand around and watch!" Nathan yelled out, the desperation clear in his voice as he struggled to keep pushing against Percy's sword interlocked with his. It was a sort of reprieve to the arm-numbing blows that have been exchanged. Still tiring but at least he wasn't getting hit in the face anymore. "Get 'im! Go get 'im!"

Jimmy and his friends looked at each other before shrugging. "Might as well." One of them said before charging forward with a yell, sword raised, Jimmy and the others following. With a grunt of exertion, Percy pushed off of Nathan's sword, blasting the older teen backwards several feet before doing so himself, jumping back a good distance away.

Though hunched over and panting for breath, Nathan had a conceited look on his face as he looked at Percy. "Not… not so… not so hot now that… I have backup, huh?" He taunted smugly, even though he couldn't even speak without pausing to catch his breath and his face was shiny with sweat.

Percy didn't even bother responding, instead just looking on silently as Nathan raved and ranted at just how pathetic he was. Jimmy thought it pitiful really, how much his employer was acting like a spoiled puppy with more bark than bite. He could see Percy felt the same way, his eyes staring down Nathan with both pity and disappointment.

Jimmy didn't know why the younger boy was disappointed. He should've known better than to expect something from a guy like Nathan, whose idea of solving a problem is to throw money at it until it goes away. Jimmy might've been a boy raised in wealth but even he knew money didn't solve everything.

"You're nothing Jackson! NOTHING! You'll regret going against me and for what? Some skank? She wasn't even that hot… Just give up and we won't hurt you. Much. And leave that gold band on your arm! I'll show that woman what a real man's like so she'd mature a little!"

Uh oh. Why'd he take this job again? Oh right, one thousand bucks. Fuck. Here we go again.

Percy was done dicking around.

Eyes full of pity reignited with a renewed fury and if looks could kill, Nathan would already be in his own special place in hell. Percy had already cooled down somewhat and was more annoyed than mad at Nathan's subpar showing but Nathan and his big mouth once more brought down the fury of the prepubescent boy down on them once more.

Yeah, doesn't sound too threatening, does it? Well, when said prepubescent boy had a sword in his hand and the skills to back it up, it all gets a bit scarier, doesn't it?

"Get him! Get him, get him, get HIM!" Nathan screamed, scrambling back as Percy made slow, purposeful steps towards him. If anything, the sight of the boy walking slowly with barely restrained control and blazing eyes, his sword lazily twirling, was far scarier than anything him charging.

"Go attack him you fucking morons!" Nathan screeched, now turning tail and actually running though he didn't actually leave the platform. Jimmy and the Mooks (hey, that's a good name for a band. no? alright.) ignored him, taking their own steps back, unwilling to go up against that. "I'll double your pay." Nathan added, seeing his henchmen hesitate and it worked. Jimmy's friends stopped retreating but they still weren't engaging. "Whoever takes him out gets triple, so stop standing there and ATTACK!"

That did it. His friends shared grins and smiles before moving, putting themselves between Nathan and the dangerous boy. Jimmy joined them, though hesitantly. "Sorry bud. That's three grand. It's not nothing personal or anything, just business."

"You sure we should do this? I don't want to wake up in the morning with a cast on." Jimmy cautioned. "We could back out now and we'd still have the 200."

"Stop being a baby, J. We could take him!" Jimmy's friend said, though it came out like he was trying to convince himself.

"Get out of my way and I won't hurt you. Much." A rough voice sounded from Percy. Was that really his voice? It didn't sound anything like his voice before. It was more of a growl than anything else and Jimmy noticed that, although Percy was still gripping his sword in a firm but relaxed grip (good habits are good for a reason), his free hand was clenched into a shaking fist. Shaking from anger, probably.

Shivers rand down Jimmy's spine. "Guys, I really don't think this is a good idea…"

"Shut up Jim!"

"Go away if you don't wanna get paid. I'll just take your share!"

"Stop bickering and just go take him down!" Nathan yelled from right behind them. "I'll even help!" He sent them a smirk and Jimmy would've felt respect for the guy if he didn't see-saw his decisions like he was doing. Make up your mind like a man!

He was one of those people, the ones who stuck with you when things were looking up and abandoned you when the going goes rough. In Kakashi's words, he was worse than trash.

Well, he wouldn't get another chance to change his mind again. Hearing the reason for his ire in range brought Percy to action. A wordless growl escaped his mouth, sending shivers down their spines, as Percy engaged them all in an attempt to get to Nathan.

It was at this point that the crowd's attention shifted from the teachers to the boys.

"Charge him all at once! I'm man enough to admit we can't match him by ourselves." No, Nathan, you're not. "Swarm him!"

Following orders because it was actually a sensible one, Jimmy and the Mooks charged at once, Nathan taking up the rear like he said he would. They met Percy with a collective roar, outnumbering their enemy one to six.

Mook#1, not Jimmy (he was promoted to named character), opened the clash with a high, two-handed, baseball-like swing, with Mook#2 following with a waist-high stab. Mook#3 and Jimmy moved to flank while Mook#4 stayed back to observe, waiting for an opportunity. They weren't trained, no, but they were friends so they did have a degree of teamwork. Well, except for Nathan, but he really didn't offer a lot so he mostly just kept to the sidelines.

Percy moved quickly, the first few attacks not even slowing him down. He ducked under the first swing, taking the time to elbow Mook#1 between the shoulder blades as he passed. Thankfully, he was wearing armor so he wasn't so much as hurt but was shoved off balance. Percy could've eliminated the guy, easy, but another guy was on him.

Battering Mook#2's stab away with an upward flick of his sword, Percy quickly followed with a downward diagonal slash. One move flowed into another and the smoothness of the maneuver would've resulted in one of them getting knocked out if not for Jimmy coming in from Percy's right flank. Before Percy's attack connected, Jimmy's sword was suddenly blocking his way. However, unlike Percy who had the force of a swing, Jimmy simply put his sword between Percy's and his friend's body and the amount of strenghth Percy could pack into his attacks was no joke.

A near-silent grunt escaped from Jimmy's lips. Like his friends and Nathan, because for sure Nathan wasn't a friend, Jimmy didn't have any training and didn't really know how to parry, so block it was. _'Damn! Was Nathan really taking these things head-on?'_ The power alone blew him out of position and made sure he couldn't recover fast enough for a follow-up blow. Fortunately, he wasn't alone.

Taking the opening given by Jimmy's block, Mook#2 quickly brought his sword back into a downwards slash that could've seriously hurt Percy's unprotected noggin. In a decision that was utterly stupid, Percy had ditched his helmet from the very start.

Seeing the attempted hit for what it was and the prickling on the nape of his neck reminding him that Mook#1 had recovered, Percy made a split-second decision. Mook#2 foolishly tried a big downwards slash. Understandable since Percy did knock his stab upwards. The easiest thing to do was to go down. However, he was winding up too long, trying to deal seriously big damage instead of opting for a faster strike.

Coiling his legs like a spring, Percy charged forward shoulder-first, shoulder-checking Mook#2 in front of him and knocking him to the ground. He didn't play football with high schoolers for show.

Mook#2 landed awkwardly, ass first, with a grunt of pain that quickly devolved into a high-pitched scream as the impact jostled him and he dropped the sword he held high above his head and it landed on… y'know.

The fighting paused as every male reacted felt phantom pains in their family jewels. Mr. Brunner almost had his head taken off, because of course, Mrs. Dodds didn't have the courtesy, nor the proper bits, to share in this moment of masculine solidarity.

"Sorry, man. Hope it still works." Percy said, his anger stalling. Even he felt sorry for the guy.

"N-no… p-problem…" Mook#2 choked out, shifting into a fetal position while clutching his balls. "J-just… busi..ness." He whimpered.

Percy nodded. "Uh huh. Still, that looks pretty bad…" There wasn't anything he could do though. "Occupational hazard?"

Mook#2 nodded numbly before turning away. The will to fight was lost in him and even the incentive of 3 G's wouldn't help.

Knowing a lost cause for what it was, Percy shrugged and turned away to find Nathan and beat him to a pulp when Mook#2's forgotten sword caught his eye.

Should he?

He looked around the arena. The two teachers were still fighting, though it looked like Mrs. Dodds was starting to slow down. Nathan was to the side, keeping his henchmen between himself and Percy. And the mooks…

The other mooks were currently occupied, crowding around Mook#2 with some looking to carry him out of the way. They couldn't help but the least they could do as friends was to share in his pain. Not literally, of course. No one wanted to have their balls crushed by a sword, but they could give out platitudes. That count for something, right?

"Don't mind, don't mind!"

"Yeah, man! I'm sure girls would love you sterile!"

"Right! Think about it… no condoms, no pills…"

Percy's left eye twitched. Who needs enemies… Still, the sword was right there, abandoned. The poor schmuck had been pulled away far enough that he wouldn't've been an obstacle.

"Ugh… just shut up… you guys aren't helping…"

Stealthily stepping up to the sword lying innocently on the ground, Percy gingerly picked it up by the hilt with his index finger and thumb and held it away from him like it was something radioactive. Looking left and right, no one seemed to be watching him, with all of the audience looking at the mooks and commiserating with the unfortunate victim.

Alright. Looks good. Percy examined the sword, concluding that it was just the same as his own. Same length, same weight, same material, same design, same workmanship. A passable twin to his own.

Confident that there was nothing wrong with his looted weapon, Percy repositioned his grip and held his two swords in what felt like the proper position. He wasn't that good with dual wielding, though he was decent. It didn't help that he wasn't a natural ambidextrous, though basketball and other sports with Ted helped him get used to using his left hand. Usually, he wouldn't even be considering this but with the situation, with him outnumbered a fair bit, a way to simultaneously attack and defend would be better than the stability a one-handed sword could provide him. Preferably, a sword and shield would've been better but beggars can't be choosers.

Still, was this okay?

Percy looked to the VIP area where the person who decided if it was fine or not was excitedly bouncing in her seat. Astra winced along with most of the spectators when Mook#2 was… crippled… but when she saw Percy – admittedly, she'd been unable to look at anyone _but_ Percy until the accident – picked up the sword, her excitement just took over.

Knowing he had her attention – little did he know, he always did – Percy raised the new sword he held in his left hand questioningly. Receiving an affirmative response, an exuberant bobbing of the head and a sunny thumbs-up, Percy returned with a smile and a wink before putting his game face back on.

Time to beat up a douchie bastard.

* * *

A.N.

Yeah, so... long chapter but not much getting done. I've identified it as a problem and unless you guys tell me otherwise, I'll try to cut down on chapter length. I know some people like long chapters, and I do too, but long chapters with little plot development isn't that good. Basically, I've realized that this fic is more focused on the characters, with the long chapter lengths reflecting that because most of it is about fleshing out character personalities through interaction and stuff.

It might make things more difficult for me but I will try cutting down the chapters, unless you tell me not to.

I promise, just one more Yancy chapter (the end of the tournament, this chapter has gotten too long for it to continue 'til the end of the event) before Summer. I've got the going to camp chapter pretty fleshed out in my head, I only need the time to sit down and write it, as well as finish writing this chapter.

Anyways, I'll try to update soon but life is getting in the way. I wish I could earn money just writing stuff since I have a lot more ideas I want to start on, even an original or two, but time constraints are a bitch.

Now, enough of that. I hope you liked the chapter and remember to review regarding the way this story is going! Should I shorten the chapters or let it be?


	12. Victory Tastes Sweet & of Guilt (part 2)

Percy Jackson and Andromeda's Lament

A.N.

Umm... yeah... so it's been five months or so since I last updated and I am seriously sorry. I've been in a slump lately. Real life stuff played a part but there were also a few different factors. Moved from working on my laptop to the family PC so that cut quite a bit into my writing time, just because of the decreased accessibility of my device. Combined with my inability to write anything I was satisfied with and well... five months just flew by. Even then, I'm still not totally happy with this chapter with some dialogues feeling a bit too cringey, offensive and/or out of character and, again sorry, plot development being far too slow. Also, I know I said that this would be the last chapter in Yancy but... yeah... sorry.

Still, hope you guys still enjoy the chapter and I'll try my best to grind out the next one quickly - or at least shorter than five months.

* * *

Chapter 11: Victory Tastes Sweet… and of Guilt (part 2)

"Hmm… should I just go…" Percy wondered aloud, experimentally twirling his new sword with his left hand, "Or nah?" His gaze lifted from his weapons to his enemies, still crowding around their fallen friend. He was reluctant to attack them. They were in a fight and he knew accidents were always a possibility… but it was like some kind of sympathetic connection between males in regards to the characteristic sensitivity of the male organ because Percy couldn't help but be sorry for the guy.

Still twirling his sword (it was a habit by now), Percy eyed the other fight, wondering if he should maybe jump into that one for now. It was obvious that Mrs. Dodds didn't have a shred of sympathy for her ally currently groaning on the ground. There was no hesitation in her attacks at all. On the contrary, right before Percy's very eyes, her strikes seemed to be growing even fiercer and her lunges more frequent. She even added this weird scratching attack with her free hand, which was strange to Percy but on second glance looked to be quite effective if Mr. Brunner's wariness of it was anything to go by.

On the flip side, Mr. Brunner also stepped up his game to match the algebra teacher. He was still mostly on the defensive but he almost looked at ease as he fended off her attacks. Like a master bowman lining up a shot, the Latin teacher carefully and patiently picked his spots to strike for maximum effect. The only time he'd come even close to panicking was when Mrs. Dodds first started scratching at him. Conversely, the woman did everything she could to dodge Mr. Brunner's blade. This included throwing herself to the ground to avoid his swings, even though it would've been far easier to block it with her sword.

This seemed a bit weird to Percy since, from the looks of it, Mrs. Dodds knew her way around a fight yet she wasn't utilizing something as basic as parrying.

Percy knew he should go and assist Mr Brunner. From a strategic standpoint, he was currently an idle resource while his ally fought against an immediate threat. Nathan and his boys, as they currently are, were effectively harmless so Percy should've taken the chance to take out Mrs. Dodds with Mr. Brunner while they had a chance… but he didn't.

They had a plan, Mr. Brunner and him. He trusted his mentor to hold up his end while he did his and he was pretty sure Mr. Brunner thought the same thing. He half-expected the wheelchair-bound teacher to rebuff his attempts at assistance if he were to go and jump in.

Percy sighed as he made up his mind. The poor guy probably had enough time to at least somewhat recover from his accident and he could always just move him out of the way himself if not. Besides, he really wanted to beat Nathan's ass.

"Better get on it then," Percy readied his weapons in what he felt like a good dual-wielding stance. His arms were relaxed at a position near his waist with the blades pointed slightly off-center. He found that comfortable for now but he could always give it a few tweaks later.

He wasn't naturally ambidextrous but he felt there was no risk to him dropping one of his weapons mid-swing or something like that. He'd gotten used to using either his left or right hand what with all the sports he'd been playing recently. Still, he was far from comfortably using his off-hand as well as his naturally dominant hand.

He took slow, measured steps towards his opponents, visualizing how he was going to start off his attack. His options were greatly increased with the acquisition of a second blade, with multiple chains and combos starting to form in his mind. Ah, the infinite possibilities.

"Should I go for a low sweep quickly followed by a quick stab? Or maybe a double sweep? Double stab, one after the other? A upward and downward slash at the same time, like the closing of a beast's jaw, would be both effective and cool."

With every imagined move spawning in that overactive mind of his, Percy's body adjusted almost instinctively to prepare itself for performing said moves. Even his walking changed slightly. Whereas before he was walking straight, now he was almost strafing with his left flank pointing forwards and making himself look as small a target as possible. His off-hand sword drew forward, positioned so that the blade was across his body, prepared to parry away attacks or swipe at any opening his opponents showed. His main weapon was positioned slightly behind him, raised high over his shoulder and pointed forwards, ready to follow up his off-hand strikes or deliver powerful blows using his leading left leg as a pivot.

"With two swords, my strike speed could potentially double so maybe I should just brute force it…" At that thought, his stance widened and exposed his belly but with the holes in defense came more raw striking speed and power, "Or maybe I should just spin around while I hold my swords out. A cyclone of death." Percy mused going back into his boxer-like stance, his right hand twirling his sword in anticipation. His off-hand was still raised steadily, wary of an attack, "Or I could switch to ice-pick grips…"

"Hey! That's cheating you little twe~rp!" A shrill voice that cracked at the end interrupted his theorizing. He was about five meters away from the closest potential enemy but Nathan, who yelled, was hiding far behind his goons like a coward, "I guess I can't blame you though. You'd need all the help you can get if you want to beat me, but you should know that you still won't win no matter what!"

Percy raised an eyebrow, "Really? You're the guy- y'know what? I won't even dignify that with a response," With a quick two-step shuffle, he closed the distance with his closest foe and moved to slash at his midsection with his off-hand weapon.

"Uwaaa!"

You would expect that the guy being attacked would be the one making the panicked sound but alas, the one being protected at the very back was the one actually panicking.

Percy ignored Nathan's scrambling and focused on the furious exchange of attacks he was currently engaged in. He let the battle move away from the injured but he never let up on the pressure. In an attempt to move past quickly and get to Nathan, Percy utilized superior speed and strength to try and blast straight through, though unfortunately for him, things didn't go according to plan.

His opponent was doing far better than before but not because he got stronger or faster or suddenly gained some skill. No, it was mostly about strategy. Y'see, what Percy didn't know was that while he was debating whether or not to attack his fellow students, they were actually making a rudimentary plan of attack. They weren't strategists by any means but they had the common sense to know that they were no match for his strength, speed and skill so they had to make better use of their numbers.

Not to mention the very real risk that lodged itself in the back of their minds: them being the ones getting hit in the nuts. That by itself was a very good incentive to planning things out better.

Mobbing him blindly didn't work. Even with a six to one advantage, Percy treated them like little children, even though he was the little kid among them. Head-on attacks were repelled with ease and even flanking attacks were rendered useless with simple slips and maneuvers.

So knowing this, they hatched a plan. And judging by its current effectiveness, it worked too, at least to some extent. It would've honestly been successful if it weren't for the fact that Percy was… well, Percy.

* * *

Was it just him or did something smell fishy?

Percy was expecting it to be… well, not exactly easy, per se, but definitely easier than what was happening now. It seemed that no matter what he did, he could never get past that pesky defense. What made it worse was that Percy felt he was totally dominating the older teen; that it would only take the slightest bit more and he could defeat his opponent.

And that was what made it frustrating. He'd been on the attack for the past few minutes with almost no visible result. All his strikes were being either blocked or dodged and even though his rival successfully defended, it was clear that he was on his last legs.

But he just wouldn't go down.

Usually Percy would be fine with that. After all, Rome wasn't built in a day. Conversely, one couldn't expect a single attack to win a war. He would've enjoyed a heated clash that tested his limits and made him push through them but this fight wasn't like that. This was a one-sided beatdown that, for some reason, he couldn't finish.

His opponent wasn't even attacking anymore and hadn't been since the very first few exchanges. All he was doing was defending. Even when Percy feinted an opening to bait in an attack that he could counter, his foe still wouldn't budge. It was like he was focusing on defense as though he could win with that alone. He would just hold his sword up in the general direction of where Percy would strike at and let him hit. It wasn't even in an angle to redirect some of the shock so he was taking the full power of every blow. And whatever did get past his rudimentary defense he was willing to tank even with the relatively thin leather armor. Sure the damage wasn't immediately visible but his body would be showing its protests in the morning.

Even the addition of a second weapon wasn't having as much impact as he expected. The volume of his attacks doubled, sure, but he initially picked up another sword so that he could attack and defend simultaneously. When he was only always on the offensive, there really was no point in having the second sword, especially since he felt like his strikes had more power when he had just one.

Of course, Percy tried other things to break through defenses. He tried finessing his way to victory but he quickly discovered its lack of effectiveness. Disarms weren't bound to work. His opponent was holding his sword with both hands overlapped one over another as his fingers wrapped around the hilt so tightly that his knuckles were white. It was an uncomfortable grip that crippled him on the offensive front since all his attacks were bound to be slow and unwieldy but that didn't matter if you don't plan on attacking. He also tried attack combos that flew from every which way and attacked from a multitude of angles mixed with feints and misdirection but when your opponent was just barely within your attack range, said angles were limited. It wasn't like getting closer was as simple as walking up to him… well, it was, but not when his foe kept backpedaling. With every step he took to close the distance, his opponent took two steps back, always keeping himself at the very edge of his range where he could easily dance away when Percy really got going.

With every hit that clanged ineffectively against his foe's sword and with every instance that his attacks fell just a teeny bit short of reaching his opponent, Percy could feel his temper fraying. He'd been attacking nonstop, followed his opponent around the field - thrice, even - and tried numerous avenues of assault but nothing was happening. The fight just wouldn't end.

It was inevitable then that, after the third lap around the circumference of the battlefield, Percy exploded.

"Grah!" With a thunderous roar, he leapt forward suddenly in an attempt to catch his opponent off guard, both of his swords coming down from both sides in an X. All of Percy's careful discipline and honed skills were thrown out the window in exchange for what was essentially a blunt hammer.

Percy put everything into that attack. Everything was packed into his swing, venting to the world all of his pent up frustration and rage. He forsook his positioning, stability and discipline and swung with all his strength. It wasn't an elegant attack. It lacked the typical fluidity in Percy's moves that was present even when using dual-swords for the first time. The attack was powerful; easily more powerful than any other attack he'd used so far, sure, but for what?

Results.

Because their swords were forged relatively rushed and corners were cut.

Because his all-out scissor attack possessed tremendous power and both his blades struck his opponent's sword at roughly the same spot at the base.

And finally, because his opponent's blade snapped clean off.

A heaving and sweaty Percy grinned as he saw two-thirds of his opponent's weapon fly through the air, disappearing somewhere into the stands. Breaking the sword wasn't the plan though he had no complaints. A win's a win. Finally, the battle was over. This farce was already done with and he could finally re-

"NOW!"

And that was when the cage closed around him… a cage meant to hold back a boy. Too bad what they captured was no mere boy.

* * *

"Holy shit…" Jimmy watched, halfway between amazed and horrified, as Graham's sword broke into two pieces, leaving his friend defenseless and effectively out of the competition. How the hell did… what kind of power did this kid even have that he managed to snap a sword off the base cleanly?

He shook his head. Time was wasting and if they wanted to make use of Graham's efforts, they'd have to act know. Especially himself. It was his plan they chose to follow. He decided that Graham - the biggest, had the most stamina and the all-around best athlete among them - go and fight, effectively putting him to ten minutes of torture; ten minutes under the tender mercies of one Percy Jackson. The least he could do was to capitalize on the opportunity his friend labored to produce and continue on in his friend's stead.

"NOW!" He yelled, already tearing his way through the field as he signaled his remaining companions to attack Jackson while he was off-guard.

This was their plan all along. Have one of their number, in this case Graham, occupy their quarry, hunkering down like a turtle for as long as he possibly could until either the kid would overreach, tire himself out or until he breaks through the guard and Graham gets knocked out. Whichever came first. It was just their luck that, somehow, all three happened at roughly the same time.

Still, objective one had been cleared. Graham was successful. Percy was in no position to defend and out of breath. It was up to them to finish had faded into the background, lying in wait, creeping ever so closer every time it so much as looked like an opening would appear and now the perfect opportunity for a surprise attack was laid out for them.

Ha. An ambush on open ground. Who would've thought they'd do something stupid like that? It was perfect. Surely not even Percy would have expected it. Finally, they got him.

Not even a second after Jimmy's battle cry did he reach the panting twelve-year old, with his allies not far behind. Jimmy took the front, quickly filling in the void Graham left when he fell to the ground in exhaustion the moment his sword snapped and was now crab walking away. His two friends, Jordan and Matt took up the left and right flanks. Even Nathan was just a step or two behind the others, closing in on Percy's back.

He swung his sword in a quick and easy slash aimed at the kid's head - Jimmy knew from prior experience that winding up for a huge, powerful attack against this kid would be asking for trouble and besides, he wasn't wearing a helmet so he didn't need an especially powerful attack to knock him out - when he noticed Percy looking at him, wide-eyed and eyebrows nearly at his hairline in surprise.

"Sorry kid…" Jimmy seemed to communicate with his eyes, "you're impressive, I'll give you that, but even you won't be able to slip past this one." A small smile formed on his face, confident that their plan had worked. He was boxed in - literally with the bodies of four big high schoolers - with nowhere to go and his attack was poised to hit true. Everything was on point and there was no escape. They really-

That train of thought halted as a railblock known as doubt started creeping into his heart. He shouldn't have continued to make eye contact because looking into those determined sea-green orbs, he remembered just who they were dealing with, tainting his once wholehearted belief that they managed to outwit their better specced, better trained and better prepared opposition. His eyes still had fight in them and Jimmy learned the hard way that Percy Jackson would never, ever, back down, at least not without a lot of kicking and a lot of screaming - the latter mostly by his enemies.

The sword reached the end of it's short arc but it's target was no longer there. Jimmy swore he never took his eyes off of Percy and he even felt the slightest bit of resistance on his sword, confirming that he did indeed hit something. Nothing was there though and he could do nothing but look helplessly at the spot in front of him where, for the briefest of moments, victory had been in their grasp.

A glance at his companions let him know they were in a similar boat. Matt to his immediate right was blinking confusedly while Jordan to his left looked stunned. Nathan was the only one not looking at where Percy should've been.

Instead, their so-called leader was looking somewhere a few feet above them, his eyes gleaming with hunger. The henchman-with-the-plan wasn't sure why that was but it sure didn't look pretty. He was more creeped out about it, to be honest.

Jimmy's best guess was that it was Percy, doing the impossible of jumping up and above the roughly two meter tall high-schoolers - without a run-up mind you - and escaping from their unconventional prison that got Nathan's attention. However, before Jimmy could look up and confirm with his own eyes what all the fuss was about, Percy made his presence known.

Jimmy turned immediately the moment he heard a sigh come from behind him. He was just in time to see Percy stand up from a crouch, sheathe his right sword and dust himself off.

"Phew… so that was your plan," The athletic twelve-year old looked at them, one by one, "Gotta say, it was pretty good, given you didn't have that much time to actually plan it out." He said, rolling his neck and shoulders. "Too bad it didn't work."

Jimmy and his friends warily took a step back, "So… how'd you slip away? Did you jump?" He asked, trying to buy some time for his friends to get into position. He did have a plan B although it was mostly a rehashed version of their plan A but instead of having him focus on one of them until an opening appeared, plan B constituted of, 'Keep him talking, then jump him!' so they couldn't really rely on that. But hey, when you have not even five minutes to plan, you'll take what you can get.

"Pfft… jump? Over you people? Please. That'd be a world record."

"You never know. I've seen you do incredible things." Jimmy responded, subtly nodding to his friends - who responded with their own small nods - and crept forward slowly, inch by inch. They hoped that by keeping Percy talking, they could get close enough to jump them all at once.

Jimmy was slated to aim high, Matt at his midsection and Jordan at his legs. That should get them at least a glancing hit but a blow that could limit the boy's movements would be preferable. If they were lucky and were somehow successful, Jimmy made sure that Nathan would be ready to follow them up with an attack of his own.

Percy raised an eyebrow but showed no other reaction to their snail's paced approach, "I'll take that as a compliment, I guess…" He drew his main weapon from the sheath at his waist, gave it a flourish and a twirl, before getting back into position. "But no. I'm just a regular kid. I couldn't possibly jump that high."

"Then how-"

"Hahahahaha! I saw! Haha! Rolling in the dirt like the pleb that he is! Pathetic!"

It was Nathan, cackling and throwing insults like a generic villain. Jimmy was tempted to look and see why he was suddenly being weird but he knew better than turn his back to someone like Percy. Jordan and Matt couldn't resist and risked a glance at their wayward employer but Jimmy he resolutely kept his gaze on the younger boy, watching for any sudden moves that could denote an attack.

That was why Jimmy saw everything. He saw the moment when Percy shifted his gaze from him to Nathan somewhere behind him. How Percy's eyes widened in horror. He noticed how his sword fell from nerveless fingers. He watched as the boy frantically grabbed at his left bicep. He spied how his fair fell over his eyes, his expression going blank for a fleeting moment. And as the boy withdrew into himself, Jimmy witnessed how something else came forth and his blood ran cold.

He drew a plan to beat a boy. He should've been planning how to survive against a monster.

* * *

"Oh no…" Grover mumbled softly, aghast. He was biting his nails nervously as he watched his friend stalking closer to his opponents with unnatural grace.

Beside him was Gregor, sitting at the edge of his seat, his eyes trained on the battleground, "That guy just signed his death warrant, huh?"

"I wouldn't go that far… but yeah. Probably."

"What are you guys mumbling about over there?" Jane asked the two younger boys to her left, looking at them with narrowed eyes. "If you have time to whisper amongst yourselves, you have enough time to go cheer for Percy," She scolded before turning back to the field and screaming at the top of her lungs, "GO PERCY!"

Grover and Gregor managed to tear their eyes away from the impending onslaught and shared a look. "Don't bother. The match is already decided."

"Yeah," Gregor nodded, turning back to the fight, "what he said."

"How so?" Maria piped in from beside her father, her eyes trained on the figure of her friend, "I don't see it ending anytime soon. I mean, look at Percy!"

"Mmm… Yummy, isn't he?"

Maria rolled her eyes at the swooning girl. "Quite. Anyways-"

"Calling him yummy again, Jane?" Grover interrupted, nudging the aforementioned girl with an elbow. "You think you'd learned your lesson after Percy teased you about it for months…"

Jane blushed recalling those first few months of Percy hanging out with them, after Teddy discovered him out in the tracks. He used to tease her almost daily about that 'yummy' comment he'd overheard her say to her cheerleader friends, making her flush at his every teasing compliment. She couldn't help it. He was just so cute with the way his dazzling green eyes twinkled with mirth everytime he made her blush.

"Jane? Are you listening, Jane? Maria was just telling us about-"

"Hmm?"

"Leave her be Grover. She's lost in her own world, probably one with a dozen bare-chested Percys…"

"Hey!" Jane called out indignantly, sending the younger girl a dirty look then mumbled, "It was only one. And he wasn't topless."

Maria acted like she didn't hear but there was a small smirk on her lips before it was hidden behind a fist as she cleared her throat. "As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted," Grover had the decency to look bashful at her pointed look, "Percy's acting cautiously. Whatever momentum he'd built up after taking out that one guy," She pointed at Graham, now propped up by the arena wall after exiting the fight, "Was turned around on him when he fell for that trap. Hell, he was almost taken out entirely if they just closed on him a fraction of a second faster or if he had even hesitated just the slightest bit before throwing himself to the ground. And he knows it. So he's started playing it safe."

Grover nodded, "Yeah. That'd make sense, normally, but-"

"But, our boy's not a normal boy." A voice to Maria's right cut in as her father sat back down next to her.

"F-father?!" Maria fought to hold back a blush. Hearing her father call Percy 'our boy' like he was his own son - or more accurately, his son-in-law - sent a jolt through her heart and sent her mind racing. "W-where've you been? I didn't even notice you leave." She asked after she successfully held back a blush, now noticing how drenched with sweat he was.

It was a few more weeks before the summer season officially began but it seemed like the summer heat didn't get the memo. Even Jane, who was wearing something pretty light and airy couldn't avoid sweating; not to mention Maria who was wearing thick robes and even armor on top of it. Was it any wonder that Shingo, a man in his late 30s wearing a suit, would be a sweating profusely after walking around in the noon sun.

Before the Shingo could give the four curious youths an answer, a hand towel was shoved in his face. "Ahh… thank you, Maria," He thankfully took the proffered cloth and started to gently dabbing at his forehead - just enough to dry it without dirtying the absorbent fabric too much - before returning the towel with a grateful smile.

His daughter was hesitant about taking it back but upon seeing that it wasn't soaked with sweat, she carefully pocketed it in her gi. "So…" She prompted after he had settled back in his seat.

"Right. Well, I thought you'd find this pretty cool so…" Shingo pulled out what he, literally, ran off to get, "what'd you think?" Maria and the rest of the kids looked at the two-and-a-half foot steel Shingo revealed to them.

"That's…"

"The blade of the sword Percy snapped." Shingo claimed proudly, looking expectantly at his daughter for her reaction. He couldn't think of a better souvenir than this. It was something that you couldn't buy in one of the many stands outside in the festival, something Shingo had to put effort into acquiring and it had some sort of story to it.

The boys and Jane looked interested enough. That Gregor boy even took his eyes off of the fights to ask him to borrow it. He was sure Maria - his sweet, talented, sword-otaku daughter - was going to love it.

"Pfft… really?" Maria crossed her arms under her budding breasts, looking thoroughly unimpressed, "It's a broken sword from a school tournament, not a foul ball from a baseball game."

Shingo's face visibly dropped.

"Whoa… isn't that a bit harsh, girl?" Jane frowned as the two boys stopped their examination of the broken blade upon overhearing Maria's comment.

The half-asian girl looked puzzled at the older girl before her eyes widened as realization set in. She quickly turned to look at her father and just barely caught the hurt look on his face before it was quickly replaced by a forced smile.

"A-ah… no! No. I didn't mean it like…"

"It's okay, Maria. I get it." Shingo moved to pat her on the head but pulled back halfway, instead moving a fist to his mouth to clear his throat in an attempt to look casual and that his daughters words didn't sting. It didn't work. Jane and the boys were sending him sympathetic looks while he talked about what he observed of the match with false cheer, all the while Maria slumped down into her seat, defeated.

Maria felt like shit. She fucked up real bad. Her mind was going a hundred miles a minute, mentally berating herself a thousand different ways. Wasn't this all she ever wanted? For them to act like father and daughter again, like old times? Well, here he was acting all fatherly, giving her a gift that she would normally have found cool and she blew it. All because of her big fat mouth.

She'd blame Percy with all his witty banter and crass jokes for rubbing off on her after months of spending time together, but that wasn't fair. This was her fault and no one else's. She had fun with the verbal sparring sessions she'd had with her gorgeous green-eyed friend but that didn't mean she had to be on her game all the time. Now she just hurt her father with her words. Words that wouldn't've meant nothing if she'd told it to Percy but could ruin everything of her and her father's relationship. Well, all that's left of it.

While Maria wallowed silently in self-recrimination, the rest of the group were talking about the ongoing match. Shingo himself was keeping his thoughts from drifting to his dismal relationship with his daughter, and the scathing words that recently escaped her, by taking the lead on the conversation. A conversation that was interrupted when, out of seemingly nowhere, a head-splitting roar blasted through the arena and spilled out to most of the festival.

There are few things normally associated with such a sound - a lion's roar, a plane's engine, a rocket taking off - but Maria was quickly learning that when it came to one Perseus Jackson, nothing was ever normal. How the hell was he even producing that unholy, god-awful, bone-shaking sound? No boy, hell, no grown man should even be capable of reaching such volumes.

Maria, like most of the people in the crowd with even a modicum of common sense, hastily covered her poor ears to shield them from the deafening assault on her auditory senses. It still slipped through her hands though and gave her the beginnings of a major headache, but compared to the people on the battlefield, Maria felt they got off easy.

They literally had front row seats for the painful noise but at least they weren't on stage alongside. No, that privilege was given to Nathan and his goons, and to an extent, Mr. Brunner and Mrs. Dodds.

The two teachers were having their duel on the far side of the battle platform and were not exposed to Percy's deafening battlecry directly. They stopped fighting to cover their ears - which, seeing as nothing so far had caused them to even take a pause, really showed how loud Percy was - and were uncharacteristically gaping at her friend, but at least they were still on their feet. Well, Mrs. Dodds was. Mr. Brunner was on a wheelchair. Anyways, they were still on their feet. The same couldn't be said for the teenagers.

Pitifully kneeling on the ground were the four high-schoolers that had, somehow, provoked the ire of Maria's friend. They were clutching at their ears desperately, their faces twisted in pure agony as Percy continued his anger-fueled explosion of sound.

It was easy to imagine waves of unrelenting force emitted by the sheer volume of Percy's roar and Maria was half-expecting the teens to be thrown back just from the power of his shout any second now. However, before Percy could once again do the impossible and literally shout things away, he stopped.

Maria willed her ears to stop ringing as she watched Percy cross his swords in front of him and break out into a mad dash at his opponents like a stampeding rhino. He was fast. Maria always knew her friend was stupidly athletic but she never knew he could even run this fast, and he was getting faster still with each step he took.

The high schoolers would've been better off getting hit by a motorcycle than what was currently coming at them. Too bad for them, they didn't have a choice. Percy was already on them and the poor fools were still out of it, helplessly dazed and staggered by the earlier sensory assault.

She heard Jane talking in the background. She was asking about what made Percy so mad but Maria barely heard the girl. She was focusing too much on the ongoing fight, fascinated with what was happening. Guess the boys were right.

Speaking of the boys, "Grover!" Maria barked without looking up at him, "You said earlier that the match was as good as done. Why?"

Grover fumbled around awkwardly. He seemed reluctant to say though the expectant look Maria levelled on him after a moment passed and he had yet to speak. "Well..." he began but promptly shut up when the whole crowd got on their feet to excited screams and whoops.

Just in time for Percy to reach their position and begin his brutal offensive, the four high schoolers managed, if barely, to raise their weapons in defence. They were sloppy, unbalanced and it would be a surprise if they could put up much of a fight but that didn't matter much to the audience looking only for a good show.

And what a show it was.

Percy didn't stop at strike range. He was actually going to slam into them, it looked like, with his two swords crossed and held forwards like horns. That and his low running posture as he ran was actually similar to a bull, or any other horned animal, about to gore someone to death.

It was pretty cool actually and the crowd seemed to agree with how wildly they were cheering. After being disoriented by Percy's battlecry earlier, the fact that they were cheering him on was amazing in and of itself.

Grover piped up suddenly, "You asked, Jane, why Percy was furious?"

"Uh huh?"

Grover pointed at someone down in the field and it was quickly known who Percy's ire was directed at. Jane even made an uncharacteristically hateful face when she recognized who it was. She would later tell them how this Nathan guy started hitting on her immediately after getting shot down by one of her friends, all the while checking out the other girls in the vicinity.

"Maria, you asked why I thought the match was already over, yes?"

"Yeah?"

He once more gestured down at the field at Nathan, who was holding a familiar gold fabric to his nose.

"Hmmm… what was it again? Never tickle a sleeping dragon if you don't want to get burned?" Grover wondered aloud, a hand absently scratching the premature wisps of hair on his chin. Seriously, where have you seen a sixth grader with a beard? "Guess who did that…" realizing how roundabout he was, he simplified "except replace tickle with 'harm', sleeping dragon with 'Percy's friends' and burned with 'beaten within an inch of your life.' I mean, look at the guy. He's acting like an underwear thief that just got the crown jewel of panties."

Grover was right, Maria realized after filtering out all the gibberish in his explanation. She looked at Nathan. He was creepily sniffing the Principal's decorative gold cloth. No wonder Percy Hulked out. Maria would be upset too if someone acted like an obsessed stalker towards one of her friends.

To get to Nathan, however, Percy had to first get past the three remaining goons he hired. This posed to be no problem whatsoever.

"Any more questions?" A moment of silence passed between them, "Thought so."

Words were no longer needed as they watched their friend tear into his enemies with a ferocity and rage that rendered him barely recognizable. Percy always was unbelievable. Being able to keep up with guys twice his size and weight was proof of that, but today it seemed like his already impressive abilities were dialed up to eleven.

The high schoolers never really had a chance, did they?

* * *

Percy felt the haze of anger slowly lifting as he looked around and saw no more hostiles. He felt himself start to cool down; the adrenaline from being combat starting to fade. The weird rhythmic beating in his ears receded as his heart rate dropped down to normal levels after working overtime, pushing his body to its utmost limits.

The last time Percy felt even remotely similar was a few months ago, the night he had that date with Astra. He was hazy on the details but from what little he could remember and from what he could gather from Astra, he beat back a couple of gangbangers armed with weapons with relative ease. This time, he could actually remember everything fairly clearly.

He remembered a strangely calming pulsing sensation but it quickly grew weak as a searing rage overpowered it. The sight of an asshole like Nathan getting ahold of Astra's gold fabric accessory fanned the flames of his anger, growing hotter and hotter that it felt like nothing could ever extinguish it.

Just as Percy finally lost himself to his anger, his body had already started moving. After letting out a devastating battle cry, he charged. Running straight at his foes, going faster than he could ever remember going, he absently noted that for some strange reason, his opponents were looking weakened and disorientated.

It didn't matter to him, enraged as he was, with what his opponents' state was. Nathan was slightly to the back behind his remaining henchmen. Percy, in his usual state, would've worried about how he was getting past the mooks without ending the match prematurely without him ever beating Nathan. Not now, however.

Now, Percy was going to go straight through. No one was going to get in the way. He wasn't going to let himself get distracted. He was taking back his prize, Nathan was going down, and may the gods help anyone who gets in his way.

Getting close to the flimsy three-man barricade separating him from Nathan, Percy slipped past a wild zoning attack. Putting his head down but keeping his speed, Percy flew past a storm of flailing limbs and cold steel sent at him with a sort of desperation that was akin to cornered prey.

After ducking a last-ditch effort that tried to catch him from multiple directions, Percy finally crashed into his first opponent. He rammed his head into the middle guy's, Jimmy's, midsection with enough force to make the bigger teen double over in pain with his breath knocked out of him.

With Percy's body low to the ground, Jimmy's chest ended up on his arched back but not for long. Hooking his swords around his opponent's ankles, Percy used the extra leverage and his good positioning to throw Jimmy off his back and sent the older teen flying.

A hole was made through the barrier, but it looked to close quickly.

Attacks came in from his left and right as Nathan struggled in his dazed state to backpedal away. Percy didn't let him.

Using his swords simultaneously, Percy blew away both strikes aimed at him and knocking the two mooks off balance. It was a purely defensive move that, for a moment, left him unable to attack using his weapons but Percy didn't care. Weapon or no, Nathan was going out.

He took to the air, his knee outstretched and poised to strike. His target? Nathan's face. With a sickening crunch that indicated at least a broken nose, Percy's armored knee landed square on Nathan's helmeted face.

Given the height and smoothness of his take off, long air-time and Percy's own natural grace, not to mention his weapons held out on either side like a pair of metallic wings, he actually looked like some messed up angel of war. It was mesmerizing and horrifying at the same time.

Nathan was out cold before he even hit the ground. His sword slipped through nerveless fingers as he collapsed, his nose now bleeding and crooked. The coveted gold cloth fell out of his grip as he fell and was caught fluttering in the wind.

Percy, still in mid-air, caught sight of the shimmering fabric and moved to recover it. He soon found a problem, however, when he realized both his hands were occupied by his weapons. A growl of frustration built up in his throat. He had to get it now. There was a very real risk that one of the others could snatch it away from him at the last minute and he didn't want to chance it. Especially since there were so few of them left and one mistake could lead to someone other than him being taking the gold cloth to the next round and potentially take it all the way to Astra's prize.

Thankfully, his body seemed to understand the need for action. Before he knew it, the fabric was held securely in his mouth, the subtle fragrant of orange and rose petals tickling his nose having a small calming effect on him. His body had instinctively twisted and stretched in mid-air until he managed to snatch the cloth easily with his teeth.

The rest of the fight was sort of a blur. After knocking Nathan out and reclaiming what was taken from him, Percy kind of just went on autopilot to engage his remaining opponents. He was sure it took him only a few moves and didn't seem too exciting but it was actually the only real time he used dual-wielding properly and the crowd seemed to love it.

And that leads to now. He didn't know what will happen next with only him, Mr. Brunner and Mrs. Dodds standing, but it was over. With the fight officially decided and his blood no longer singing in anger and adrenaline, Percy felt a deep weariness set into his bones.

The last time he got swallowed up in his rage, didn't he pass out? This time, Percy wasn't in the fainting territory, at least not yet. His eyelids felt heavy, his stomach ached for food and he probably would be fainting if he didn't get some food and rest soon but he didn't let anything show on his were still a few things to do before he could take a break.

Forcing his tired arm to rise, Percy lifted his sword high into the air and forced his mouth to curl into a confident grin. It wasn't something he needed nor wanted to do but a bit of showmanship could go a long way into getting on the spectator's good side. Being a crowd favorite was infinitely better than being the bad guy. Percy knew from Ted's stories that away games against rival schools were the worst, especially when you were losing. Your energy gets drained when you get booed and you get disheartened every time a roaring cheer erupts when the opponents score on you.

He did not want this tournament to be an away game for him. Especially with what was at stake.

After an appropriate time had passed, the young schoolboy lowered his weapon to sheathe it at his waist as he started walking back to the tunnel. He'd dropped his secondary weapon earlier after stuffing his gold cloth in his pocket. Percy felt he did pretty well considering he had little to no training with using dual-swords, but it still felt noticeably more awkward and clunky compared to his usual style. Returning to the his usual one-handed combat style would probably be for the best, at least for the rest of this tournament. Still, the options provided by a simple additional weapon was amazing and Percy couldn't help but wonder if maybe he could further explore dual-wielding in Mr. Brunner's camp.

"Haa haa…" Labored breathing coming from somewhere behind him halted Percy mid-step. It was probably one of the earlier knockouts coming into consciousness. He tried to ignore it but after going on a rampage against a bunch of untrained guys, he felt a bit remorseful.

Hell, he even broke some guy's nose and potentially rendered one of them infertile! Granted, one of them deserved it but the other one definitely didn't. No one deserved getting their balls crushed.

With a tired sigh, Percy spun around to help whoever it is to their feet, yet upon seeing exactly who it was, the boy faltered. Struggling to sit up but definitely conscious with only slight difficulty in breathing was the guy he threw using a bastardized jiu jitsu technique. Jay or something.

This was the guy that designed the plan that he almost got eliminated for. If this guy wasn't around, Nathan would have never even gotten close a sliver of a chance to get a kiss from his Astra. The lump of gold cloth sitting in his pocket seemed to grow heavier. Did he really wanna help this guy?

Still, the match was already over. Jayson or Jordan or Jay or whatever his name is, was only doing a job. He wasn't the one Percy actually had a grudge with. He wasn't so petty of a man to hold things against him.

Percy coughed into his fist awkwardly, "So… do you need a hand?" He offered, bending over slightly with a hand out. When Jimmy kept his silence and only looked at him weirdly, Percy retracted his hand and scratched at his cheek, "Or not. It doesn't really matter."

Another beat of silence passed with their eyes met awkwardly before Jimmy warily put his hand out. It seemed like maybe he saw something - or saw something had gone - in Percy's eyes that made him reach out.

"Thanks," Jimmy said dusting himself off after getting back on his feet with Percy's help.

"Don't mention it," Percy answered, wiping his hands on his pants, "you're… Jay, right?"

Jimmy straightened out his leather armor before looking at Percy gratefully, "Name's Ioan Jimmer."

"Uh… bless you?"

Ioan chuckled, "Just call me Jimmy. Everyone else does. J works too."

"Right. Yeah. Sorry, by the way. For… you know…" Percy mimed a judo throw.

"Don't apologize. It's mostly our fault anyway." Jimmy cut in, running a hand through his buzz cut, "Me and the guys ran into Lake on our way to the waiting room. Offered us a grand each to help take down this kid who embarrassed him in front of some girl," He gave Percy an apologetic look, "Was a dick move, ganging up on some sixth grader. If it wasn't, well… you, then we'd have probably gotten off easy with some extra cash from a right bastard. God, bullying a kid for money," he shook his head, "don't know what came over me but that was stupid. And we paid for it, as we should have."

"Yeah well, just blame it on Lake." Percy cocked his head over at the still unconscious Nathan, "that's what I'm gonna do. Don't worry about me holding anything against you," He said with a tired grin.

"Know what? Sounds like a good idea." Jimmy chuckled before clearing his throat, the light atmosphere turning serious again. The teen bowed his head, "Again, I apologize. For my guys too. If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask. It's the least we can do." He said, lifting his head and offered his hand, "Nice to meet you, Percy. See you around."

Instead of taking his opponent-turned-friendly-acquaintance's hand, Percy held out a fist, "Nice to meet you too, J. I'll be sure to take you up on that. Ted and me could always use more victi- I mean, practice partners." He joked, his grin widening at the slack-jawed expression Jimmy made as they bumped fists. Percy could hear the older teen muttering to himself darkly as he walked off, making him snigger.

Too easy.

A sudden increase in the crowd volume alerted Percy that something was happening. He looked around curiously, wondering what brought on the cheers.

He didn't know how he didn't notice but around a dozen staff members wearing roman foot soldier regalia were spread all around the battle area. All of them had on white armbands with some kind of snake symbol - Percy didn't know what it meant but he knew it was also something he often saw in hospitals and clinics - while half of them were equipped with tower shields that looked to double as stretchers. There were nifty little handles on the top and bottom of the shields that could be easily pulled out and the insides were cushioned with something really soft.

Percy watched as a pair of soldiers carried a groaning teen off to the tunnels on the stretcher with quick movements and unbelievable efficiency. They were either well trained or they had some kind of amazing commanding officer because they moved like a well-oiled machine.

Thinking the applause was for the medics, Percy moved to clap along but a certain stringy-haired teacher rolled in before he could. "Now, Percy. Don't you think it's a little narcissistic to be clapping for yourself?" He said, giving his star student a friendly pat on the shoulder.

"Wha?" Percy looked confused before he caught a few snippets of conversation from the stands.

"-see the way he threw that guy? At that size-"

"-flying knee was amazing-"

"-Lake who-"

"-grudge 'cause of some girl Lake was harassing-"

"-making peace with your rival like a MAN!-"

"Now that's how sports should be!"

As Percy heard more and more praise, both earnest and grudging with a few backhanded compliments mixed in, he was growing increasingly more relieved. No one seemed to be talking much about how he pretty much decimated his older seniors and literally broke Nathan's face. Actually, as waves of murmurs and rumors traveled, it started sounding like he was some hero while Nathan was some evil prince trying to trap a princess in an unhappy marriage.

"You did good, Percy," Mr. Brunner complimented with a proud smile, "much better than I expected. Although," his smile faded as he prodded his ear, "did you have to be so loud about it?"

"Sorry, Mr. Brunner," Percy apologized sincerely, "I don't know what came over me."

"No matter, m'boy! The heat of battle can overwhelm anyone. Especially someone who wears their emotions on their sleeve such as you," He sought out Percy's gaze with his own, which Percy found were filled with curiosity, confusion and wariness.

He didn't like it.

"Sorry, sir," Percy said, looking down in shame. Mr. Brunner was his favorite teacher. He didn't want to disappoint him or scare him off, "I'll work on it."

Mr. Brunner smiled at this, "Don't worry, Percy. I daresay, we will have almost all of summer to work on your mental discipline."

"Bah! You're talking mad, horse," Unexpectedly enough, Mrs. Dodds joined the conversation, "You would take away what makes him special!" She turned to Percy with, to his horror, approving eyes. He has never even considered that the cruel woman even having the capability of ever showing anything positive towards him, yet here she was.

"Uhhh…" Percy looked to Mr. Brunner fo assistance.

"Now, Alecto-"

"Mark my words, Jackson," The algebra teacher interrupted, "there is darkness inside you. Don't fear it. Embrace it. You will need it," She said as she walked off, humming a dreary tune.

Mr. Brunner and Percy shared a look as they watched the woman walk off.

"Well, that was creepy?"

"Yes…" Mr. Brunner once more eyed him strangely, as if he suddenly discovered something about Percy that was off. Well, more than usual, "yes it was."

"-look, they're taking Lake away-"

Overhearing that latest scrap of information, Percy turned to look at where his rival fainted, taking the opportunity to avoid looking at his mentor's heated gaze. He expected Nathan to still be out cold or at the very least not flailing around on a stretcher like he was doing now.

"'Et da fak off me!" Nathan slurred, his nose bleeding profusely and with a probable concussion, "'ere'sh tha' bashtard Jacshon! Imma kill 'im!" He shrugged off the paramedics attempting to calm him as he continued to thrash around, screaming about how he'd make Percy pay for breaking his nose.

Percy was tempted to go intervene, maybe rough Nathan up a bit more to make him shut up, but he was worried that the goodwill he'd secured would disappear if he were to butt in with an intention of violence. Besides, he was knackered. He really wanted to sit down and have lunch. Maybe even lie down somewhere if he was lucky.

Just as he was about to turn away from the scene, a new player made their appearance, sucking him back into the drama like a whirlwind; a whirlwind of stylized opera masks, strawberry vanilla-scented braids, soulful jade green eyes and long, shapely legs.

Guess that's why the soldier medics moved so well. Someone was personally micromanaging them and that someone was now moving in to deal with a certain problem.

"Please sir," One scantily clad Juliet Butler started, voice unnaturally sweet, "please don't move around too much. You have experienced some head trauma and-"

"YOU!" Nathan snapped, his flailing growing wilder, "Jackson's little whore!" he managed to say with only a slight slur. He looked like he was building up steam to go on a truly horrific rant but his frenetic movements aggravated his head and he fell back onto the stretcher woozily.

The blonde beauty turned to the soldiers carrying Nathan to say, "Definitely a concussion. Taking a flying knee to the head after that incident in the waiting room and that loud noise didn't do him any favors. Be extra careful while transporting him."

"Yes ma'am!"

Juliet shifted back to Nathan to say, "Please stop struggling. We have a doctor on-hand and-" but was unceremoniously cut her off.

Nathan sat back up abruptly, indignation helping him overcome the disorientation and headache brought about by his concussion, "Shut up you fuckin' bitch. This is all your fault! You and that little turd..." He then started spouting some drivel along the lines of 'when my father hears about this' and 'the board of education is going to enjoy this story' and of course the classic, 'You're gonna pay dearly' schtick. Finally, he ended with something that was essentially social suicide. "Really, this is why women shouldn't leave the kitchen. You should just stay in your place, legs spread or choking around my dick like you should be. You and that crazy principal…"

After everything that happened to him - having his head slammed into a table, getting ragdolled, his eardrums nearly bursting and getting a knee to the face - one would think that Nathan had learned his lesson. Turns out, you can't teach spoiled dogs common sense.

Percy saw red. His fatigue vanished as his engines revved up for a rage-fueled rampage. Really, if Percy was just a bit closer to the sexist bastard, Nathan would probably be going home in a cast. A full body one. Alas, Percy was too far away and even though he'd already started stomping over and was halfway there, someone beat him to the punch. And what she was doing was somehow far worse than what Percy, rage-induced state and all, could have managed.

After all, Percy was just going to rough him up. Juliet was effectively killing him.

Juliet narrowed her eyes into a cold, dead stare that, when paired with the totally contradictory cavity-inducing smile, was flat out disturbing and scared the shit out of Nathan. At one point during his rant, the blonde had silently drawn her dagger and held it in an ice-pick grip with it's hilt pointed in Nathan's direction.

Nathan noticed the small blade in her hands and backed off, "Wha-what's that for? You're only… only making things worse, you know?" He gulped, fearfully eyeing the sharp looking edges of her weapon. Their metal swords might not be anymore than thin metal clubs but he had no idea whether that dagger was different. Maybe it was sharpened and he was about to get stabbed? Well good luck with that. There were so many witnesses that Nathan was kinda wishing the dumb girl would stab him, just so he could really bring the hammer down on her and on this stupid school.

"Fuck you Nathan!"

Yup. He had a lot of witnesses to back him-

"Scum!"

Wait… wait, wait, wait, wait! Something's not right here...

"Sexist bastard! Go die in a ditch!"

He looked around at the stands; there were droves of booing spectators, students and parents alike. They looked like a bunch of rabid beasts that would tear him apart if they ever got hold of him. There were a few that were even throwing balled up rubbish down at him.

"Now now sir," A small, delicate hand landed heavily on his shoulder, making his head snap back to a pair of dead eyes, "you can't be saying stuff like that,You really shouldn't be saying that…" Nathan's final sight before unconsciousness took him were small beehive-like holes in the pommel of a dagger, a terrifying smirk replacing a sweet smile and dead eyes reviving into a pair of pissed off avada kedavra green orbs.

Hopefully that'd be the last she'll see of him. That bastard even dared to call her a whore?! Worse, he called her Percy's whore… which wasn't even true, even if she did partly desire being that. Still, she was this close to seriously attacking that brutish ass and the only thing that kept her from doing so was out of loyalty to her mistress. Good thing this was Nathan's last year and since her presence in the school wasn't a regular thing, because if she did see him again, she'd probably deck him.

Besides, in today's age, someone probably clipped and posted his rant online. Nathan Lake would probably spent a couple of years as a social pariah, and would be far too busy dealing with the fall out to bother with her.

After pinching on one of Nathan's pressure points near the juncture of his neck, Juliet took her hand off of the creep's shoulder, and wiped the imaginary slime off her hand - who knew what she could catch from touching that creep - on the closest soldier's sleeve, "Get him out of my sight!" she barked, resheathing her mic that posed as a dagger and putting her hands on her hips authoritatively.

As her underlings scurried away with Nathan in tow, carrying the bastard with more care than she would prefer - weaving nimbly through a shitstorm of self-righteous social justice warriors - the former head servant-girl let out a sigh, releasing the tension that she built up in her disgruntlement. After hearing such hateful nonsense coming from a brat that clearly had it out for her and Percy or was plainly raised with rotten values, Juliet just wanted the morning to end already.

Holding back another sigh about to escape, Juliet buckled up, put on her big girl panties and forcibly lifted her spirits. Just a bit more and she could hole up in the room with her mistress and finally let the other departments do their job.

It was annoying that they hired a ton of people, including a chief of staff and a licensed doctor, but for the most part, she was the one handling all their duties. Honestly, if it wasn't for their head of security actually doing her job and lightening her load, Juliet would have snapped already. Especially when she found out that their damn doctor was found roaming the festival during his hours with one of the fucking nurses on his arm. If she hadn't been a trained combat medic, some of the kids might've been going home with more than just a few bruises and scratches and where would that leave them? Buried under a hundred lawsuits and her mistress being replaced?

No way was she gonna let that happen. Not on her watch. Her mistress loved this school and if her crazy antics jeopardize her position in it, then it was up to Juliet to make sure they didn't. So she took over jobs that weren't hers and did them beautifully, but they did take their toll. More so than she expected.

Who knew dealing with a hundred plus school kids excited for summer would be so stressful?

But enough about that. She'd tarried on long enough and it was about the perfect time for her to act. Giving the field a cursory scan, Juliet waved one of her free staff members over.

"Ma'am?"

"Get the two teachers, Brunner and Dodds, to the infirmary. They didn't look like they took any hits but have them get checked out anyway. Jackson and… "she visualized her list to help her remember, "number 98, Jimmer. Tell them not to go out of the arena yet. Have them wait around for a bit. Oh, and have someone start the clean up on that," she nodded at the grounds of the arena floor, filthy with all kinds of shit from Nathan's exit, "and get the renovation crew out quickly. We're a bit behind schedule." The woman she was talking to nodded before leaving to follow instructions and Juliet perked up to do hers.

"Hey everyone!" Juliet spoke energetically into her dagger/mic with a jaunty wave, gaining the attention of the aggravated crowd. "Very sorry about that horrible scene," a cute apologetic smile and a rehearsed nervous giggle sent the boys into a frenzy and lightened the atmosphere, "I know it was disgusting and just… ugh…" She started pacing around the center of the platform, "but come on people! We're celebrating the first ever Yancy Academy End of the Year Festival! Make some noise!"

At her prompting, hoots and claps erupted from the crowd, the earlier altercation put aside for now.

"What was that? Did you guys say something or was that the summer breeze?" Juliet teased, cupping a hand around her ear. Predictably, the hoots into screams and the sporadic clapping turned thunderous. She was playing the crowds like a pro. Soon, they'll be eating from the palm of her hand. "Better… but not nearly good enough! C'mon people!" She then proceeded to put on a real show for the audience, converting the battlefield into her own personal stage.

She made them laugh when she introduced herself as 'Gabrielle' but then added with a cheeky smile and a shrug that it wasn't her real name. She wowed them with high class flips, turns and corkscrews in the air and essentially put on a one woman world-class acrobatic show. She made them clap in excitement when she told them that the festival outside was an international one, with stands serving food and games from different cultures of the world. She made them curious when she teased that there was a world famous artist slated to perform but revealed them only with the vague statement of 'after you see them live, you'll remember them for centuries.'

It was only a couple of minutes but her short performance went a long way in establishing a positive note to end things on. Juliet had experienced a wrestling show having a sub-par conclusion and how the size of the audience the next night was nearly cut in half. The Nathan episode could've done the same to this event but now, hopefully with her efforts, the afternoon crowd would be just as big as this one.

Juliet smiled at the frenzied audience she'd worked up but now it was time to bring things to a wrap. With a simple gesture of her hand, everyone went silent. "Great! I'm happy to see you're all excited, but for now, can you all please listen before we take a break for lunch?"

First off, she gave the crowd a run down on the schedule of events taking place. When the second round would start, how long the festival would last, when the special live music performance would be; that sort of stuff. She also told them that the festival would last until ten in the evening and reopen the next morning for another day and that it was open to anyone, even outsiders, so they can invite their families or friends to come by for a day of fun. Guessing there would be some concerns for safety - this was after all a rich kid school and was no stranger to the occasional kidnapping attempt - she ensured that their safety was their top priority and additional measures were taken like hiring a top class security agency for personnel, among other things.

Secondly, she made a few clarifications regarding the last round of melees. The four people advancing were the two teachers, Percy and Jimmer. Percy, even though he technically performed an illegal crotch shot, it was deemed accidental and thus was good to proceed. Jimmer, on the other hand, wasn't really knocked out. He never fell unconscious, got disarmed or went out of bounds. He just got his breath knocked out of him and when he was good to go again, the match was already over.

When a fuss was raised over Percy's use of the second sword, Juliet just made up some bullshit about it being similar to the teachers were allowed to join thing. No one thought of it and it wasn't in the rules, so it was allowed. She also cited that there was a prior case similar, where one Ted Robins took his opponent's sword for himself.

There were a few grumbles here and there but overall, the flimsy reasoning was accepted and the first half of the tournament was officially brought to a close.

Juliet gave one last wave before slipping away into the arena tunnel, gesturing for Percy and Jimmy to come with. Her carefully crafted cheerful and open demeanor gradually vanished as she disappeared into the confines of semi-darkness, the eyes of the people no longer trained on her.

It was time for Gabrielle, the overly animated announcer and consummate performer, to back up. Juliet Butler was taking the wheel and right now, she wasn't feeling particularly energetic or smiley.

Reaching the intersection that seperated the waiting rooms and infirmary to the tunnels that would eventually lead to the Empress Lounge, her mistress's private suite, Juliet spun to face the two boys following behind her. She cleared her throat, "You heard me back there, Jimmer? You're in for the next round, okay? Make sure to show up." He nodded and asked if there was anything else. "Go to the infirmary. Get yourself examined. If you have further questions, you can ask any of the staff in the infirmary. They're also giving your teachers the rundown," she said, pointing at the tunnel to their left.

Jimmy glanced between Percy and Juliet thoughtfully but said nothing. Was he imagining that strange thing in the air, or what? Wasn't there some kind of history between these two that led to the whole debacle with Nathan? Jimmy could totally see it. His underclassman was looking questioningly at the, Jimmy could admit, frankly stunning blonde, but the lady seemed adamant on not meeting his gaze. Whatever their deal was, Jimmy wanted no part of it and quietly walked off by his lonesome towards the infirmary.

When Jimmy turned the corner and went out of sight, Juliet cocked her head to the right, urging Percy to follow her, which he did. That left the two green-eyed individuals alone in a strangely uncomfortable silence, as they walked through an increasingly complicated network of tunnels and the number of people they were running into decreasing as they got deeper in.

"So…" the dark-haired boy prompted, trying to fill up the void of sound. It'd been a while since they encountered anyone and it was getting a bit too awkward for his liking. He didn't even know what was happening. He'd never been uneasy in Juliet's presence so why was he now?

Maybe it was just him . He was uber tired. The short burst of anger he had when he overheard Nathan's sexist harangue had taken even more of his already drained energy. While waiting for Juliet to finish with her announcements, Percy actually spaced out in exhaustion and it wasn't until he found himself walking alongside Jimmy did he snap back into focus.

"Hmm?" the blonde hummed, waiting for him to continue. He didn't. He was waiting for her to begin, so they were once again left walking through a dimly lit corridor in awkward silence.

That was, until Percy stopped walking.

He sighed, running a hand through his jet black locks, "C'mon Juliet. This is getting really weird. Stop beating around the bush-"

"I'm not," She insisted and turning to him, annoyed, "Know what? Just keep up," she said before turning her back on him and walking off.

"Yes you are!" Percy interrupted a bit heatedly, stopping her retreat by roughly grabbing her wrist. His exhaustion was getting the better of him. He felt like he just had a sliver of stamina left in him and that he would collapse if he didn't get off his feet soon, which was strange since he usually spent his time playing sports with Ted for hours on end without ever feeling beat. For some reason, his fights really sapped at his strength. No, not his fights, his outbursts of emotion were what was draining him. "Where are we even going?" he let fatigue seep into his voice, "I'm tired, Juliet. If you have something to say, please just get it over with." When she still stubbornly held her tongue "Fine. I'll see you around." Percy let go of her wrist and started walking back the way they came, hoping that the next time they meet it wouldn't be so awkward.

CRASH

Caught off-guard mid-sentence, Percy was unable to even react in time when Juliet grabbed him by the shoulders, spun him 'round so he was facing her and slammed him roughly into the nearest wall. A pained 'ow' slipped past as he banged his head on the hard surface.

"What was that for?" He demanded indignantly, gingerly rubbing at the lump slowly forming on the back of his head. He looked up - the blonde bombshell was a good deal taller than him, to his frustration - to give the woman a piece of his mind but when he did, his indignation petered out like a defective whoopee cushion.

Juliet was leaning over him with her weight supported by one of her hands on the wall, right next to his head. She was close. So close that Percy could not only see how long and fine her eyelashes were, but actually count them. So close that with every shallow breath he took, a fragrant scent of strawberries filled his senses. So close that he could feel the heat of her skin and feel her silky blonde locks as the end of her braid brushed against his arm.

"You want me to get to the point? Fine!" Juliet drew even closer and Percy wondered if her point was to kiss him. He didn't know what to feel about that if that was the case. Only a fool would have refused a smooch from someone like Juliet and Percy was not a fool… mostly. What he was… was impulsive and that could be a problem if Juliet didn't back up. With the way her inviting scent filled his suddenly overly sensitive nose and her hot breath tickling his face every few seconds, the urge to just tilt his head that tiniest inch and capture her lips was almost overwhelming, but he couldn't do it if her intentions were unclear. Percy managed, if barely, to keep his self-control but he could not stop his eyes from roving over her lips and licking his own.

It wasn't an ostentatious action but Juliet, with her sharp and well-trained eyes, caught it A giddy satisfaction filled her, though it wasn't enough to overcome her negative mood. "Do you remember what I told you? Back in the waiting room?"

Percy found himself fascinated by the way those full, kissable lips moved; how they curved into a slight smile; how he saw glimpses of her long, slender tongue as she spoke. Still, fascinating or not, Percy forced his gaze from her lips back up into her eyes and pay attention. The first part of that wasn't something difficult to do. The second half… not so much. Not with how captivating her jade green irises could be. They looked especially interesting right now with how they were blazing with emotion. Even with her opera mask on to hide her identity, Percy still got lost in her eyes.

It was like being in the humid, green rainforests of the Amazon, Percy thought. Venturing within was both a terrible and wonderful idea. The scenery was breathtakingly beautiful, teeming with life and overwhelmingly green that you just had to explore more of it. Maybe take a stroll. You wouldn't even mind the way the humidity made your shirt stick to your sweaty body or make your hair frizz out because you would be too busy enjoying the sights. However, its beauty was a part of the trap because once you went in, it'd take a whole lot of luck to get back out.

"Are you even paying attention?"

Fortunately, luck was something Percy had im spades. Whether it was good or bad remains to be seen.

Juliet calling out to him in that strange blend of bemused and annoyed tone of hers guided him out of the forest that were her eyes. Kinda like the trail of breadcrumbs from Hansel and Gretel, only he wasn't escaping from some wicked witch but from the blazing orbs of a pretty girl.

"Uh…" Percy scrambled, racking his brain trying to remember what the blonde asked him. It was another instance of his temperamental attention span. He didn't know if it was normal for others but his ADHD was regularly selective in nature and it even had, on occasion, kicked his perception into overdrive. Case in point, he fell into a trance-like state due to Juliet's close proximity and missed most, if not all, of what she said. However, unlike the time he spaced out over her announcements, Percy could actually recall what she asked him - okay, he had a vague idea but the point still stands - even though he wasn't actually listening. Not to mention all the times things seem slowed down whenever Percy was in a tight situation. His fight with those gangsters all those months ago came to mind, when he felt like he had all the time in the world to react and plan against his foes.

Really, was it even ADHD anymore? Or was it just another sign that he wasn't exactly normal?

'What did she… something about what she said back in the waiting room…' Percy did a little mental celebration, thinking he'd gotten away with not paying attention to a girl when they were talking, a crime essentially as bad as first degree murder when you thought about it… or was that just how it seems like when you wake up in the middle of the night, back screaming in agony because you got relegated to the couch.

Percy's celebrating, however, came to a screeching halt as another thought quickly took its place. 'Let's see… Juliet was talking about...' What she said just before sending him away to take care of the other contestants rang in his mind like a grandfather clock. His eyes darted to her enticing lips once more as he gulped audibly. He was salivating. The idea that was nothing more than a stray fantasy was now fully entrenched in his mind now and he was pretty sure he didn't have the strength to dig it back out.

"I'm so jealous of my mistress… she gets to have you all for herself… do you think she'll mind sharing?"

"I thought you were just joking about that!" Percy reasoned, his heart hammering in his chest; a steady pulse he was positive Juliet could hear. She couldn't have been serious with that, could she? Sharing a guy… especially someone as messed up as him… that wasn't...

"Of course not!" Juliet couldn't believe what she was hearing. Did she somehow pass of her distaste at being treated like a damsel in distress as a joke? She didn't think so. "Why would you even think that?"

Misunderstandings could really be a bitch, couldn't it. And unfortunately for these two, this misunderstanding was one of those that could make or break a relationship.

Percy felt himself get light-headed at her response. A myriad of scenes - or should he say fantasies? - invaded his already tired brain. The most prominent daydream was one where Percy was sitting in a love seat, Astra and Juliet squeezed in on either side of him. The girls were hugging his arms to their chests, pressing their soft and shapely bodies up against him. Juliet was nuzzling his neck while Astra whispered busying herself by in his ear sultrily, warning him to be prepared 'cause they were gonna make him into a Percy sandwich. As if that was a signal to begin, Juliet started kissing and nipping at his jaw and Astra stuck her tongue in his ear, both their hands slowly traveling down his body until they reached the waistband of his shorts.

He stopped himself there, a little too late if he was being honest. Previously only feeling lightheaded, now his head had started pounding and his vision started flickering… probably from lack of oxygen because a considerable amount of his blood was being diverted south.

"Juliet…" Percy choked out, ignoring his building headache, the tent forming in his jeans and the blonde's taken aback expression. He reached a hand out to touch her face or maybe cup her cheek - he wasn't sure what he was going to do - but he quickly found himself too short to reach without having to stand on the very tips of his toes and he didn't think his legs would hold up if he did. Not as he was right now. Not when he could feel himself slipping ever closer to oblivion.

God, he just wanted to grow up already. Percy was fairly tall for his age, but fairly tall for his age was still well below the average. Astra and Juliet, the two girls showing interest were both towering over him to the point that he couldn't even reach level with their faces without them bending over. No offense to short guys, but this was just embarrassing. And frustrating. Teeth-grinding, fist-trembling frustration.

Juliet was a bit lost as to why Percy was acting like… this… whatever this was. Not that she was complaining but where was this even coming from? He couldn't have been this bummed out because she was being cross with him, could he?

A shiver went down Juliet's spine when Percy whispered, no, caressed her name gently with a tone that, in her opinion, should be declared illegal outside of a specific circumstance: under the cover of night, whispered between the sheets of two -maybe three?- lovers after a sinful dance of love and passion. And on that note, Juliet wanted to hear him call out to her like that again; the letters of her name gently rolling off his tongue like something to be savored.

And he could use that tongue of his for other things too while he was at it. And… oh my… was that his… oh my… now wasn't that a real confidence boost.

Before Percy could notice the dreamy smile her spicy musings brought about, Juliet forced her mouth into a straight, neutral expression and slightly pulled her hips back so he wasn't poking into her thigh. She couldn't let herself be distracted into forgetting that she had a boner -damn it- a bone to pick with him.

Although... if she was being honest with herself, she was sort of projecting her anger from something else onto Percy. After all, getting annoyed at one person was far better than outright hatred for another. Especially for someone with the type of training she did. Her master might have deemed her as not having the right disposition, but being called out as a bitch, even though she'd barely even gotten further than her first kiss, was something that really got on her nerves. And the fact that the bastard even had the nerve to imply that she, as a woman, was better off at home… let's just say that if there weren't hundreds of witnesses, Nathan Lake wouldn't just be going home with a broken nose… he wouldn't be going home at all.

"I-I'm sorry." Percy continued, still in that gentle tone of voice that could set Juliet's ovaries exploding. And his eyes. God, his eyes were gorgeous and the way they looked at her made her feel like she was something worth more than even the whole Fowl estate which, considering how wealthy her previous masters were, was really saying something. And since he already apologized… maybe she could let things go?

Juliet let out a sigh, drawing back fully from pinning the boy only to lean on the wall next to him, their legs barely touching. "It's okay… I guess…" She took off her mask and gave him a tentative smile, "It doesn't really matter. I was just overreacting. I should be the one apologizing for slamming you into the wall… unless you like it rough?"

Percy gazed at the amazing young woman next to him with his increasingly dimming vision. The instant she pulled away, Percy felt the last vestiges of his energy leave him, almost as if she took them with her. Or maybe it was the opposite and it was only her proximity that gave him the juice to keep from going out like a light.

There were so many things they had to talk about still. He wanted to tell her that she wasn't overreacting, that it did matter, that it was not okay-okay, but he doubted he'd manage the conversation as he was now. He took another step closer into the darkness and he felt his knees buckle.

His arms reached out instinctively to try and stop his fall. There were a few columns in the corridor they were in but they were simply too far away for Percy to even hope of using them to steady himself. There really was only one thing he could've used to that effect.

Juliet let out an involuntary gasp as she felt her skin tingle with electricity wherever Percy's bare skin was in contact with her own. Considering she was wearing nothing more than a glorified armor facsimile of a crop top, that was a lot of exposed skin.

"Sorry…" Percy slurred, a soothing feeling flowing through him as he she gently ran her hands through his hair, "legs gave out on me… I'll-I'll get out of your hair in a…sec..." He said, making a token attempt of wriggling out of her grip but quickly fell still. He was exhausted… and Juliet was warm, and comfy, and she smelled so good, and… and…

"Percy?" the blonde called out, her tone surprised but not unwelcoming. When his hold around her waist loosened and his body started swaying precariously, Juliet wrapped her arms around his neck and held him up, leaning her back against the wall as she did so. "Don't worry, I got you." Naturally, she did so only to better support him. There weren't any ulterior motives whatsoever… she thought, while discreetly marveling at how strong and solid he was, how soft to the touch the loose strands of hair at the nape of his neck were and taking a deep whiff of his scent. He reeked of salt and sweat but strangely enough, Juliet didn't find the smell repulsing but heady and intoxicating.

Juliet started feeling a bit concerned when a full minute had passed with Percy still clinging onto her for support, even though he said that he'd get off, but she didn't say anything. If he wanted to hold her… well, she wasn't going to tell him to bugger off.

Juliet wasn't sure when or even if she was going to get this chance again, so she was going to savor this for as long as she could. She'd like to think she knew her mistress pretty well despite having served her for only upwards of a year but when it came to Percy… Juliet couldn't get a read on her.

She knew for a fact that Astra was head over heels in love with the dark-haired young man. Juliet would even go as far as to say that her mistress was damn near obsessed with him. In fact, Juliet was privy to something not even close friends and acquaintances knew that gave her some insight over her mistress's interest in Percy: a long line of hopeful suitors, literally a whole bus load of men - and women - from all walks of life, vying for her mistress's favor.

Nobody knew about them though because her mistress would immediately reject their advances as easily and nonchalantly as snapping her fingers. The only reason Juliet found out was because it was her responsibility too… ah… motivate the stubborn ones that wouldn't take no for an answer into giving up on her desirable master.

Her point is that out of the dozens upon dozens of admirers - including a literal, honest-to-god prince charming of a remote country in Europe - none of them were even given a chance but Percy… well, he didn't even have to try, did he? Her mistress made the first move, manufactured a way for them to meet and spend time together, ambushed him out of nowhere to ask him out, brought him home that very same night and Juliet wasn't sure if they did 'it', but her mistress was positively glowing the morning after, prancing around him in her panties while shooting Percy googly eyes all through breakfast. Whilst all the other hopefuls were turned down point blank.

If that wasn't enough evidence of her possible obsession then maybe the fact that Juliet once caught her in her room, crushing a handmade doll with Percy's likeness to her chest while giggling, moaning and wriggling in her bed, a hand suspiciously hidden under the covers would do the trick. Or the fact that she even made a doll in the first place.

Anyways, what Juliet was trying to say is that her mistress was head over heels in love with the boy she was currently holding in her arms and usually that would've just killed any hope she had of ever having a chance with him. But, on the other hand, it was her mistress - her brilliant, beautiful, bodaciously bonkers mistress - and she was head over heels in love with him. Maybe to the point of being willing to share if Percy explicitly expressed an interest in having her.

Juliet let out a sigh as looked down at Percy, her fingers threaded through his hair. She was getting ahead of herself. Even if her mistress was willing, Percy was the one who had to take initiative. Aside from continuing to be his friend that flirted with him a bit, things were pretty much out of her hands. She couldn't get her hopes up like that.

"Percy?" The blonde whispered softly. She didn't know why but speaking in hushed tones felt right, as if talking like normal would break the moment, "I'm sorry but we have to go now…" she said, even when all she really wanted was for this to go on for longer, "Miss Astra's waiting."

No answer.

"Percy?" Juliet tugged lightly at his locks, trying to get him to raise his head from nuzzling into her but she was both shocked and amused when, at the gentlest of pulls, his head hung back limply, his mouth slightly open with soft snores coming out. "Oh Percy…" she shook her head with a chuckle, shifting the sleeping boy into a more comfortable position.

"You're really lucky you're cute, y'know." she said as she started walking through the tunnels, Percy safely cradled in her arms. For a twelve year old boy, Percy was pretty heavy - probably from his early developed muscles - but Juliet carried her no problem.

Of course, things would be different if he was awake. There was no doubt in Juliet's mind that he'd put up one hell of a struggle if he knew what was going on.

After all, Percy didn't seem like the type to let himself be carried bridal style.


End file.
